Take Care Of Me
by punkdlaurenx
Summary: He was only meant to be a patient. She'd seen them come and go. She was only meant to be his nurse, but leaving from his sick bed strangely disappointed him. Will Punk be able to turn the tables and take care of AJ? Read to find out more. (AU)
1. Chapter 1

**Tbh I don't even know where this will go. I got the idea last night and decided it would make a decent storyline that I done think has been done before, so I hope you guys enjoy something different. Don't forget to REVIEW.**

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><p>Bleeping noises were the first thing his ears picked up on. The last thing he remembered was driving home from his best friend's house and swerving on a bit of black ice on the road. Having picked up a bad habit of not wearing his seat belt, that didn't help him out either.<p>

He was pretty sure he was dead and was lying on a bed in heaven, there was no way he would have survived, everything went black as soon as his scar skidded round the corner and into the bricked wall on the edge.

His eyes opened, the soreness of them being closed for all this time affecting his site, screwing his eyes up at the bright light in the room. He assumed he wasn't dead, or else in heaven they had hospitals, which was what he seemed to have been in.

It wasn't like he wasn't paying attention to the road, or he was on his phone or thinking about something, he just couldn't see the ice and completely lost control of the car. He was lucky to be alive.

He could feel his right leg being weighed down by what he only assumed was a cast. He also could feel wires stuck to his chest up from the disgusting gown he was wearing, and a few drips on his wrist and inner arm. All this fuss, he thought ungratefully, when all these monitors and different equipment had probably saved his life.

He wasn't a man to say he had a lot to lose, he didn't. He had his house, his friends and his job. He couldn't remember the last time he had a stable relationship with a girl, him and his friends were pretty hopeless when it came to being committed to the one girl. He was in his 30's, he didn't see the point in rushing ahead and making his life miserable by sticking to the one girl for the rest of his life.

Phil Brooks his name was, or Punk to his close friends, he worked in the local Tradepoint warehouse, stocking the trucks up, taking in stock, lifting heavy boxes. He didn't find it fun, but then again he didn't find a lot of things fun. The only thing that got him through it was working with his buddies, Dean and Seth. They were a little younger but somehow they had crossed paths and became instant best friends.

His house was simple, small and ideal for just him and some other person, whoever that may be. It hardly had anything in it really, a kitchen with the essential equipment, a living room with a couch, TV and bits and bobs around it, a bedroom with a double bed and clausets and a bathroom in the hall. It wasn't anything fancy, but then again… he wasn't a fancy guy. He wore whatever clothes were in reach, his hair was usually slicked back before he left the house, unless you were one of those lucky girls that got to spend the night and see his morning hair, which to him wasn't a pretty sight. He had a lip ring that to his surprise, girls really digged, and he had a crazy bunch of tattoo's everywhere. His full chest and both arms covered, with a few on his legs, hands, ankles and one behind his ear as well.

His attention was brought over to what he assumed was his nurse, walking in with a clipboard and pen, her glasses perched on her nose as she looked him up and down.

"Good, you're awake." The women smiled.

Punk just nodded. She could see, that was a start. She didn't look like a typical nurse. For starters her name tag that read AJ, had a skull engraved next to it. She also was wearing converse he could see and her hair wasn't tied back like most nurses, it was long… so long, down and over her face, a light brown colour. He always was a brunette type of guy.

"What happened?" Punk asked her, he still hadn't gathered yet what had actually happened to him. Yeah, he knew he had crashed and how, but what were his injuries and what really happened to the car after everything went dark.

"You crashed your car into the side of a wall on the edge of the road. You weren't wearing a seatbelt." She said with a disapproving look towards him, "But you're going to be alright. You have a broken leg which will heal in its own time, everything else seems to have cleared off, your concussion, your blood loss from the cuts on your head… you should be admitted from here in a few days." She said, knowing he would like to hear that.

"Thank god." Punk said, laying his head back on the pillow, "Have you called my friends?" Punk asked, they were the only people who he relied on in life these days, his family were no help to him, cut them off a long time ago, if anyone were to visit him, it would be Seth and Dean.

"I haven't. No." AJ said, shaking her head, "But here…" She said, walking over to the chair which Punks clothes that he came in wearing from the crash were, reaching in the pocket and sliding out his iPhone, passing it over to him.

"Thanks." Punk smiled as she passed him the phone.

"You're welcome." AJ said, flipping her away from her face for the first time since checking up on him, watching him look up at her with a gaze.

Punk hadn't realised how pretty she actually was when her hair was pushed away from her face. She had a beautiful face with stunning eyes that looked so innocent, like she hadn't and wouldn't do a bad thing in her life.

"I'll be back in a few hours to check up on you again." AJ smiled to him. It was part of the job, smiling. She wished it wasn't, because she hated doing it, but it was and it apparently helped calm he patients down, even though this man didn't look like he needed calmed down, he looked fine to her.

Punk just nodded, smiling back as she walked out of his room, shutting the door over and leaving him to call his friends to explain what had happened, but that he was alright and would be out in a few days.

After a few hours had went by, Punk seen the nurse reappear again, coming in and taking his heart rate and other monotorised information, "How is your leg?" She asked, giving him another vaccination of pain relief, to help ease the pain of his body before he went to bed.

"It's alright." Punk said, keeping his arms still for her to inject the needle into him. He hated to take medication or anything that he seen as drugs, but his body was pretty sore, one time wouldn't hurt. That was another thing about him. He was straight edge, didn't drink, didn't smoke and certainly didn't do drugs. Many people found that shocking from the way he looked, but it was a true statement.

"Do you think you'll need crutches?" She asked him once finished with the vaccination, putting the used kit in the bin and wiping any blood that had spilled from him with a bit of cotton wool.

"Probably, I mean I can't hop around everywhere, can I?" He said with a sarcastic, jerky smiles.

AJ just made a fake laugh. He was one of they patients you just wanted to crack square in the nose, someone who didn't take into consideration that his life had just been saved by her and other members of staff. Yet even though he looked annoying and sarcastic, he did have a sweet smile with the cutest, deepest, green eyes ever.

"I'll be round in the morning to check on you. Do you need anything before I leave?" She asked him, heading for the door.

"No, I'm good thanks." Punk smiled to her as she just nodded and said goodnight, leaving out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

There was something about her that really attracted himself to her, even though she completely wasn't his usual type. She just looked like a sweet, caring, humble woman, and he digged they type of chicks.

AJ finally got home after the huge trek from the hospital to her house. It was a tiring job, working from 7am to 10pm at night, she was always tired and barely had time to eat half of the time, hints to why she was so thin. She was in her late 20's and lived alone in her house, but she liked it that way. Being someone who was a nurse, who had to deal with people every single day, she didn't really like being surrounded by people and she certainly didn't like getting too familiar with people, aka men, from her previous experiences.

She put a ready-made meal in the oven, while she quickly went for a shower while it cooked.

She done the same thing almost every day, get up and work. Unless it was her off day, which would be spent catching up on all of the programmes she missed during the week or before. She did sometimes wish she could fall in love with someone who just loved her back, that was all she wanted for her previous relationship that failed miserably and caused her to move out of the city, but she didn't know if she could trust another man again.

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><p>The next morning, Punk woke up to see AJ already in his room. It almost freaked him out a little, but something about seeing her face as soon as he woke up made him smile, but he immediately told himself to cut it out, she was just his nurse.<p>

"How you feeling?" She asked, stapling some papers together at the bottom of the bed.

"I'm ok." Punk nodded, thankful for her concern, but she was paid to do that, he supposed.

"You'll be lucky to hear that they're discharging you tomorrow. So you know, obviously you won't be able to drive, if you could get someone to pick you up." AJ said, "Also, you're booked in for therapy after that leg is healed, make sure you go." She warned him, it was for his own good and health.

"What if I don't?" He said in teasing manner.

"Then you'll be the one stuck with a non-sturdy leg for the rest of your life." April smiled at him. The therapy was generally just a few week programme to get the feeling and movement back in a broken limb, only if it was a clean break though, which his was. Sometimes it isn't even the break that need therapy afterwards, sometimes it's about not having moved your leg for all these months that it's been stuck with a cast on. It was optional but she suggested that all her patients went, especially when it was free.

"I can't have that, can I." Punk said, he liked winding her up already, as well as speaking to her normally, she just had a gentle and calm atmosphere about her, he figured that's why she made a good nurse and carer.

AJ just gave him a smile and he gave her one straight back. It was like fireworks had just exploded in the room, right in front of her eyes. She hadn't noticed how dreamy this man actually was until looking into his eyes as he smiled for the first time.

"So what does the AJ stand for? I know that isn't your real name." Punk said. He would be so embarrassed if her real name was indeed AJ, but he extremely doubted it.

"April. My name is April. Middle name is Jeanette, everyone just shortened it to AJ when I was born." She shrugged.

"And it all makes sense now." Punk smiled, "April is a pretty name, you should be called it more often." He said, it all made sense. She had such a pretty name that fitted her pretty self.

"You're the only one that seems to think that." AJ smiled, glad that someone thought her real name was pretty, "I'll see you later." She smiled over at him, watching him raise his cup of water at her in a cheers signal, chuckling to herself as she walked out of the room.

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><p>"Dude, you are such an idiot." Dean chuckled as he helped Punk into the back of the car outside the hospital the next day. His dirty blonde hair messy all over his face, his leather jacket and dirty jeans on him like they always were. Seth sat in the passenger's side watching as Punk winced his body into the car.<p>

"Are you in pain?" Seth asked sympathetically. He always was the caring friend.

"Yeah. I feel like I've put my body through a car crash." Punk said, lifting his head with a sarcastic smile to his uncaring friend, Dean, "Oh wait, I have." Punk said, as Dean just rolled his eyes.

"Oh be quiet. You're getting no sympathy from me. They don't invent seat belts for no reason." Dean said, throwing the crutches that Punk had carelessly in beside him as Punk just rolled his eyes.

A part of him didn't want to leave the hospital, he would miss AJ and her caring humour every few hours checking up on him, even if it was only a few days she took care of him. Maybe he would start that therapy she suggested early, just to come see her, he really had an urge to see her again and he didn't have a clue why.

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><p><strong>10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Punk decided that he would stay at Dean and Seth's apartment for the time being, just until he was fit and able enough to look after himself again, he did have an undeniably, cute nurse looking after him for the past few days.

"Here, get these down you." Dean said as he walked over to his friend who lay flat on the couch, his leg up on a cushion for comfort, his crutches by the side as he handed him pain relief tablets and a glass of water. He was told to take the tablets every few hours, but Punk had only been taking one a day.

"Thanks." Punk said, swallowing the tablet over in a flash and handing the glass back to Dean, watching him roll his eyes and sit it down on the coffee table.

"Anything else?" Dean implied with a scowl, watching Punk not even listen to him, he looked like he was too busy looking at an advertisement card with a telephone number on it, "What's the card?" Dean asked.

"It's just eh… therapy… for my leg." Punk said to him nervously. He wasn't really thinking about the therapy however, he really was thinking about AJ. He just missed opening his eyes and seeing her smiling in his room somewhere, it was better than waking up to Dean and Seth drawing immature drawings on his cast.

"Dude, you've just broke it like a week ago, let it heal first." Dean chuckled.

"I know." Punk rolled his eyes, he wasn't stupid. Well maybe he was, if he was keeping it from his friends that he might have had a little crush on his nurse. He knew they would tease him until the southern day light, "I just wanted to find out about it, see what happens… to see if it's worth going to." Punk nodded to Dean.

"Ahh…" Dean hit his knee, "They're usually bullshit, they tell you to bend your knee and then send you home, probably not worth it." Dean said.

But Punk knew, that even if the therapy wasn't worth it, it would be when he got to see AJ every day. It wasn't like a normal feeling he had for a girl he wanted to take home and be done with her by morning, it was like a high school crush that he didn't want to tell anyone about, he was so embarrassed.

"Ok. I'm away to work, you need anything just give me and Seth a call, ok?" Dean said, watching Punk nod. He knew the drill.

Maybe he'd accidentally break his other leg and make a trip to the hospital to get put on bed rest and have AJ take care of him again.

Why did he feel this way anyway, she probably got it all the time, flirting with the male patients that were round about her age, she'd probably forgotten all about him and his boyish charm.

AJ as a matter of fact hadn't forgot about Punk. Another patient had moved into Punks room after he got discharged and it almost saddened her. She missed going on and looking at his devilish smile and handsome self, but then again… he'd probably forgot all about her, she was just his nurse for a few days, they had a little fun, now it was time for her to get busy with work and for him to go on with his life.

_Later That Day…_

AJ was currently in a patient's room taking blood, having day to day conversation as she done the procedure that came so naturally now to her since she had been doing it for so long. She discussed the weather with the patient, the news, just normal small talk.

"AJ…" One of AJ's friends and work mates exclaimed, peeping her head in the door with her blonde hair, her cheery smile appearing on her face like always, "There's someone out here asking for you." Her friend, Renee smiled.

AJ just excused herself from the room and walked out of the door, walking down the corridor with Renee, asking her who the hell was looking for her, when she seen him.

He looked so much more attractive in normal clothes. He looked so sly, leaning on his crutches at the front desk, his basketball shorts hanging round his waist, his t-shirt loose and baggy on him as he instantly smiled when seeing her.

Renee didn't even ask, she just got back to doing what she was doing before, leaving AJ to attend to Punk for whatever he had to have her help with.

"Let me guess… Another car crash?" AJ smiled cheekily at him, folding her arms as she watched him just look down and laugh.

Punk couldn't express how good it was to see her again, even though it wasn't that long ago from when he seen her last, "No. Unfortunately. I was just here to ask you about that therapy you suggested I went to." Punk said, playing this as cool as he could, he didn't want this girl to find out he came all the way here, with a broken leg, just to see her face, that would have either creeped her out or touched her heart.

"What?" AJ gave a silent chuckle, "The therapy… as in… the Breakage Recovery Therapy?" AJ asked him.

"Yeah." Punk nodded calmly.

"Well first of all. You go when your cast is off… second of all…"

"Alright alright…" Punk cut her off as he hopped up on his foot, getting sore leaning on the one leg for so long, "I don't care about the therapy." He admitted, watching her make a surprised smile, she looked like she already knew that he wasn't interested in the therapy.

"Don't you get a lunch break here or something?" Punk said, his legs getting tired and in need of a seat, as well as wanting to talk to her in a better place than the hospital hall.

"Yeah." AJ smiled, "I guess I could take it just now." She said, still not believing that he came all the way here just to see her and have lunch with her, which was what she assumed since he just admitted to not caring about the therapy and asking her when her lunch break was.

They didn't want to leave the hospital building since AJ only got a limited amount of time for her lunch break, so they sat downstairs in the hospital cafeteria. AJ sat with a packed up sandwich and some type of orange juice, while Punk just sat with a bottle of water, not really feeling hungry.

"So how's the leg?" AJ asked him.

She felt like she wasn't speaking to her patient anymore, which was how she felt when she took care of him. Now it was like a one on one conversation with an extremely attractive guy who seemed to like staring into her eyes and smiling, unlocking every secret behind her already without even asking her.

"The leg is doing alright. It would be nice to have some sympathy around the house. My friends aren't really giving me the love I need at this moment in time." Punk pouted like a dog, watching her giggle against her hand, being insecure about her laugh she liked to hide it from people.

"So you came here for me to give you sympathy?" She chuckled.

"No." Punk said quickly and all serious, "I just came here… I don't know. My friends, Dean and Seth… they went off to work this morning,I just thought I'd swing by whilst they were out." Punk said, watching AJ just nod as she chugged down some of the orange juice she was drinking.

"So have you got your insurance sorted out? Did you claim anything?" AJ asked, she expected Punk to get a little bit of money considering the road hadn't been gritted properly, which caused him to skid on the ice that he never saw.

"Seth sorted it all out for me. I can't claim much since I wasn't wearing my seat belt. Doesn't really bother me anyway." He shrugged.

"Yeah, you really should start wearing your seatbelt." She suggested, watching him nod.

"I know. I've learned my lesson." Punk nodded with a smile, "So what sort of shifts do you work in here?" Punk asked her.

"Eh… I base mine between 7am until 10pm, if we're really busy." She said, watching Punk whistle loudly, "Or if it's not so busy, I'll do 9am to 5pm." She smiled.

"You must be pretty tired all the time then?" He asked her, kudos for her to be so committed to her job, he couldn't work they hours every day, he'd die from tiredness and frustration.

"Yeah." April chuckled, agreeing with him. She did get tired, a lot.

"Must suck for your boyfriend, won't get to see you enough." Punk said, taking a drink of his water, watching her smile down to the ground, another sign of her insecurity.

"Boyfriend? Does it look like I have time for a boyfriend." April chuckled.

"Pretty girl like you and you don't have someone worshipping you when you come home at night." Punk said in a dramatic shock.

"Shocker, right." She nodded, watching him just smile.

Punk couldn't believe how much he was beginning to like this girl, he hadn't liked a girl this way in so long. The way she didn't know how beautiful she was, or her adorable answers to his questions, he would love nothing more than to take her out, spend a night with her in town, get away from the hospital.

"Look." Punk started, "I don't normally do this, but I'd really like to see you again." He admitted, "And I'd like it if you weren't in that uniform and in these creepy hospital halls." He said.

AJ couldn't believe this, was he asking her out on a date. Her automatic answer to guys asking her out for the past five years was no, but she really had to take this one into consideration. She really liked him. It awe'd her that he came all the way here with a broken leg just to speak to her.

"Um…" April mumbled, "Yeah… I guess that would be nice." AJ smiled.

"Good." Punk smiled quickly, his panic of her saying no was over and he could look forward to seeing her out of work, "When are you next off?" He asked her, figuring it would be better if she was off.

"Saturday." AJ smiled, taking a pen from the pocket in her white coat, "Here's my…" She paused when she pulled his hand out, forgetting he had all these tattoos that would make the number hard to see, instead she just smiled to him and grabbed a napkin, writing her cell phone number down and passing it to him.

"Thanks." Punk said, slipping the napkin into his pocket, pushing down on the table to help himself up, watching AJ quickly stand up and get his crutches, passing them to him.

AJ couldn't believe she was actually giving him a chance, she hoped he wouldn't tarnish this step she was taking for him, she hadn't been out on a date in years and not to mention, she really liked him, from the moment he woke up from the car accident, she reckoned he was something special.

"I'll see you on Saturday then." AJ smiled as she walked him to the door slowly, considering he had a broken leg and was hobbling along beside her.

"Yeah. I'll text you through the week." Punk smiled, it was only Wednesday, which meant he had a terrible long wait to see her again.

"Ok." AJ smiled, walking him all the way to the door, "It was nice to see you again." She said, genuinely, it was great to spend her lunch break with him and get to see what he was like when he wasn't lying in a hospital bed making jokes or complaining that he needed the toilet.

"It was really good to see you." Punk agreed, leaning on his crutches as he leant over and kissed her soft cheek, her fragrance twitching his nose but it smelling so good.

AJ just smiled, not looking at him, feeling wasted already by him, he had such a sweet heart, she could already tell.

She watched as he hobbled off out of the hospital doors, finding herself smiling at him all the way until he was out of sight. She'd really got attached to this man, even if it was just over a few days, he had a certain calm about him that made her smile and feel safe. She already couldn't wait to see him on Saturday.

She worked the rest of her shift with a large smile on her face, thinking about his smile and his eyes. That was enough to get her through the day.

Later on Punk was laid back up on the couch as Seth and Dean arrived home from work, complaining and moaning about their tiredness, not even considering how their friend was feeling.

"We had forty stock takes and had to load them all on to seven different trucks, think I've done my neck in." Seth complained, sitting on the chair across from Punk.

"Go get that sexy nurse that was looking after Punk to check you over." Dean grinned to Seth as if 'let's annoy him.'

"For your information, I'm taking that sexy nurse out on a date on Saturday." Punk smiled slyly over at Dean and back to Seth.

"Date?" Dean raised his eyebrow, "Just fuck her."

"Yeah, I don't think Punk will be fucking anything considering he can't stand on both two feet." Seth chuckled to himself.

"I'm not just going to fuck her, I actually like her." Punk said, pointing to Dean to answer his statement, "And…" He pointed to Seth, "It will surprise you what Punk can do." He winked to Seth as he just looked away, rolling his eyes.

"You're mental." Dean shook his head with a laugh, walking by Punk and shaking his head around like a child.

**Thanks for all the REVIEWS guys! You never disappoint. Keep up the REVIEWS and I hope you enjoy.**

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

Saturday flew in for AJ and after getting a text from Punk, telling her he would pick her up (which she insisted that she would go to his house, considering he had a broken leg) they finally found themselves walking down the Chicago road to whichever place Punk was planning to take her.

She hadn't dressed up for the occasion, she didn't really know what Punk was even looking for, was he just looking for a fling, a one night stand, a sturdy relationship, a future wife, she had no idea, so she didn't want to embarrass herself by dressing up, not that she would have dressed up anyway.

She felt terribly bad whilst walking down the street, looking at him hobbling along beside her, yet not a single expression of pain on him, he looked so smiley and happy, she liked to think she was bringing that out in him.

"So, how long are you staying at your friends?" AJ asked as they walked along the street after Punk explained that he was taking her to a square with lots of restaurants and bars, he'd been going for years with Dean and Seth and it made it all the more better than she hadn't been to it.

"Just until I feel like I'll be able to take care of myself again. It's not really my leg that's the problem, my full body is just sore, my neck has just wore off from the whiplash and my ribs are still killing me." Punk said, it was safe to say he was falling apart.

"I'm sure they'll take care of you for as long as you need them to." AJ smiled, obviously not knowing Dean and Seth.

"Yeah…" Punk just chuckled. He didn't imagine being more attracted to AJ than what he already was, but seeing her in normal clothes, even if it was just jeans and a t-shirt, she was adorable and he just wanted to spend his night looking across at her smiling at the ground and giggling to herself.

"So which place is it you're taking me to?" AJ asked him, walking into the square with the different restaurants, bars and pubs.

"Do you have any type of food in mind that you would like?" Punk asked her sarcastically sophisticated.

"I'm easy." AJ smiled, she did genuinely like any food.

Punk picked the least busy restaurant in the corner that mainly sold Italian food, which AJ was fine with and they both got a seat at the window. Punk, being in the condition he was in, they managed to find themselves in the corner of the restaurant, giving Punk easy access out of the table, not that he'd be leaving unless he needed to go to the bathroom.

"You break your leg and suddenly you get the best seat in the house." Punk chuckled to himself, still being the gentlemen and pulling AJ's chair out for her, looking at her smile at the little gesture.

Once they were both seated and had ordered food, not taking Punk long to decide, he didn't really venture out when it came to eating, AJ also just stuck to the food she knew, they began small talk that any first time daters would start.

"So where is it you work?" AJ asked him, taking a sip from the straw sat in her juice, looking on at him with dreamy eyes. She hadn't felt like this since she was a teenager.

"I work in a Tradepoint warehouse, just about 15 minutes away from here. Nothing special really." Punk shrugged, "I think I've gathered what you work as." He winked to her, watching her laugh, "You look like you don't get took out enough." Punk said.

He could tell just by her features and the way she looked around the restaurant, smiling outside the window at the different people walking by.

"I don't." AJ laughed, "I never really have time." She admitted with a frown, "I'm always working and if I'm not working, I'm catching up on sleep I've missed during the week." She said, watching him nod. She knew he was the understanding type already.

"Well, I'm glad I could take you out. You deserve it." Punk smiled, "Cheers to a good night." He said, lifting his glass as she did, clincking them together as AJ just smiled across to him, taking a sip from her juice before she sat it back down, keeping her eyes on him the full time. She felt so lost in him already and they'd only known each other for a week and a half. She was definitely glad that she was landed with him as her patient for the few days she did.

The night passed by and people came and gone in the restaurant while Punk and AJ stayed tucked in the corner, their night filled with laughter, good food and warm smiles, something that AJ never really got a lot of.

They'd shared some information with each other about the other, from their upbringing to their current life. Whatever they seemed to be talking about, she found herself smiling or laughing at Punks devilish charm.

"I don't think I've ever laughed so much in my laugh tonight." AJ smiled, having Punk walk her home, he insisted even with a broken leg that he would walk her all the way to her doorstep.

"So does that mean you had a good time?" He asked her.

"Yeah." AJ smiled, "I had a great time. Thank you." She smiled gratefully. It wasn't very often she got treated out to dinner by a very handsome man.

"So does that mean we'll do this again?" Punk smiled to her, hobbling along the cobbled pavement, watching her tuck her hair behind her ear and blush at him asking her out on a second date.

"If you can tolerate another night with me. I'd love to." AJ smiled, wondering why on earth would Punk be even interested in her anyway.

"Well… whenever you're free again." Punk suggested, figuring her house was the one she had stopped in front of.

"I'll text you." AJ promised him, she could accept a few more nights like this, where her ribs got sore from laughing and her jaw got sore from smiling, he really was something else.

"Ok." Punk nodded with a smile, "Goodnight AJ." He leaned over again like he did in the hospital, kissing her cheek as she blushed.

"Goodnight." AJ said, walking in the gate to her house, giving one final look to him before she headed on into her house, shutting the door over and leaning against it with a smile. God, he was so dreamy, she just got lost in his words and eyes, she didn't know what was happening to her, but she really liked him and for some reason, she already knew that he wouldn't hurt her.

He was like this superhero that had just landed in her life by fate and was picking her up from the same boring old routine she was living around.

After Punk hobbled back to Dean and Seth's, taking his time so not to strain himself, he found himself thankfully home, walking in and throwing his crutches away into the corner in anger, he wished he wasn't stuck in these crutches and this cast for any longer.

"Fucking crutches." Punk grumbled, hopping over to the couch.

"How'd your date go?" Seth asked, throwing over the last of his beer, him and Dean having a quiet night in watching the hockey game.

"It was good. Yeah." Punk nodded positively, lying back down on the couch, propping the cushion up for his leg, "Taking her out again." He smiled.

"You're really jumping in there aren't you…" Dean said, looking at Punk with an edgy look.

"I like her." Punk shrugged, "I don't think I've ever liked a girl the same way I like her. She's different." He admitted.

"Yeah, we all think they're different." Dean rolled his eyes, "Just be careful." Dean said.

"I'm a big boy, Dean. I think I'll be fine." Punk said rolling his eyes.

"You know what I mean." Dean said, "The last time we had any decent girlfriends, they all found out about our past and ditched us, don't lead the girl on until you break her heart." Dean said.

"Why do I need to tell her about our past, we've moved on from that. I'm not digging up old skeletons." Punk shook his head.

"I'm just saying, if you like her that much." Dean put his hands up in defence, only trying to suggest that Punk done what seemed like the right thing to do. Be straight with AJ.

"Yeah, I do like her and telling her about everything we were involved in before might risk the chance of losing her when I've hardly even got her. So no… I won't be telling her." Punk skimmed his eyes at Dean, looking at Seth sitting quietly in the corner with his next beer.

"Whatever man. Don't come crying to me when she dumps your ass 6 months into your relationship for not telling her the truth from the beginning." Dean stood up and headed for the kitchen with his and Seth's empty beer bottles while Punk just sank down onto the couch, running his hands through his face.

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	4. Chapter 4

Throughout the next few nights, AJ had been texting Punk back and forth, finding herself up to all hour's talking to him, forgetting she had to go to work the next morning where she was completely shattered. They had agreed on another date at the weekend and AJ was already getting excited for it, she didn't know what was happening to her, all she knew was that she really liked Punk and she funny enough seen him somewhere in her future.

Punk on the other hand was stressing out. He knew the right thing to do was to be straight with AJ, like Dean had said, but he didn't want to scare her off so that she'd never come near him again, he couldn't live with himself. He wasn't going to let his past dictate his future.

Instead of going for dinner again, AJ suggested that they just go out for Ice Cream, she didn't want Punk blowing his money on her, especially when he was off work for the time being. Punk liked Ice Cream, he had no problem with her idea, so they found a good Ice Cream shop and sat outside of it on the wall.

"I had this patient today… he was about 85, just had a kidney transplant, wouldn't take his medication… Oh I was going to punch him." AJ scoffed to the side, recalling the pest of a man this morning in work.

"C'mon… that's no way to treat the elderly." Punk smiled to her, "You handled me with such great care." He said.

AJ just blushed at his comments, not knowing how to retort to that. "You had more serious injuries." She saved herself from embarrassment.

"I'm sure that's what it was." Punk nodded, turning to her as she just busied herself with her ice cream, clearly enjoying the cone with the mint choc chip flavour she had chosen, "Hey, look…" Punk said, pointing to her t-shirt as she looked down, seizing his opportunity and pushing the cone up against her nose, chuckling like a child as she just looked up at him, trying to be angry but laughing at the same time.

"That wasn't very nice." She said, taking a napkin and wiping the ice cream off her now freezing cold nose, throwing the napkin at him.

They began speaking again like they did at the restaurant a few days ago, talking about everything, moving on to the subject of AJ's job again. Punk had no idea how incredibly hard it was to be a nurse.

"You must see a lot of things in a day." Punk said, both of them finished their ice cream, still not wanting their date to end.

"Yeah… I do." AJ nodded, "The kids are the worse, having to tell their parents…" AJ just shook her head, "It's horrible."

Punk just frowned. He was sure AJ had the patience of a saint, as well as the kindness and comforting nature that was needed to be a nurse, he could deal with a woman like that in his life.

Even though he was enjoying his night, his head was bursting with Dean's words from the previous nights before, she deserved the truth, she deserved to know what sort of man she was dealing, what sort of man he used to be. She deserved to make up her own decision on wither his past made any difference to her obvious attraction to him, he hoped it wouldn't.

"So…" Punk said, "I don't normally do this on the second date, but you deserve the truth from me, wither you want to continue… whatever this is…" Punk said, not really sure wither to say their relationship, even though he hadn't asked her to be his girlfriend yet, "It's up to you."

AJ just looked at him strangely, where was this all coming from?

"We all have our past." Punk said, watching AJ just nod, still not entirely sure where he was going with this, "And mines is a little more extreme than others… but before I get into detail, before I probably freak you out and scare you off and never see you again… I just want to let you know how much I really like you. I haven't liked a girl the way I like you in a long, long time…" He admitted, watching a scared feature take over her. Great, he had scared her already.

"You're scaring me." AJ admitted, sitting back on the chair and hugging her arms, looking over at him, looking angry at himself for scaring her.

"You know my friends? Dean and Seth?" Punk said, watching her nod, "Well… me and them, we got involved in an alliance a few years back… it wasn't our choice, we didn't want to… my sisters got put on the line if I didn't join, Seth's girlfriend, Dean's life… we all didn't have any choice." Punk said, watching her sit up straight, leaning over the table as she looked at him.

"An alliance… for what? You were being threatened?" AJ asked, still not understanding anything.

"Chicago has its fair share of hit men around." Punk said, watching AJ run her hands through her hair, ready to stand up when he held her hand down for her to stay, "Please… let me explain." Punk begged, he couldn't let her go this quick.

AJ just looked at him, sitting back down quickly, not wanting to make a scene but being completely terrified out of her skin, how could a man so sweet like him be so evil.

"You get the idea?" Punk said, watching her nod quickly, "I done bad things, I turned to things to get me through doing the bad things, but never once did I hurt an innocent person." He said, telling the truth and nothing but the truth. He would refuse to beat up innocent men or women for that case, who just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, he got a few beatings for it, but he refused.

"Oh… that makes it alright then." AJ rolled her eyes, "I thought you were different, I thought you were someone I could learn to trust." AJ scowled at him, being disgusted by this man who she thought could turn out to be something good in her life.

"You can trust me… look, it's our second date and I've already told you something that I never tell anyone. Please… believe me, I'm not a bad man." He said.

"And this life you used to live? You got paid for it?" AJ asked him, curious yet not knowing if she wanted to know anymore about him.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "We got out of it a long time ago, we… we lost Seth's girlfriend in the process, but we got out." Punk said, recalling back to that horrible day, where all three of Punk, Dean and Seth's dangerous lives ended but resulted in Seth losing his girlfriend who he loved dearly. Punk and Dean still to this day, hadn't seen Seth look at another woman.

"And here I was… thinking I wanted to be your girlfriend." AJ shook her head.

"You still can." Punk encouraged, "We have normal lives now, we have 9-5 jobs, and we moved out of the middle of Chicago where everything kicked off, we're just normal guys now who just want a normal relationship." Punk admitted, looking at her terrified expression, "God… please don't be scared of me."

AJ just looked at him. Why? After everything he had just said? Everything he told her that he had done? Why did she still have a certain feeling towards him? She wanted to just walk away with disgust and never speak to him again, but something was keeping her down.

"So you worked for someone then?" AJ asked.

"Yeah… we'd get given jobs, do them and get paid. I don't think I need to explain what the jobs were." He said, "You have to understand… all of that, it's in the past, I don't want they horrible years to dictate the rest of my life." He said, wanting to know what she was thinking inside her mind.

"I just want to go home." AJ said, standing up and tucking her chair in, watching him stand up and grab his crutches, walking behind her as they left the shop.

"I can go myself." AJ said, turning to him as he just sighed, she could tell he was thinking that she was going to cut him off after this, which was what she should have done, but her brain… no, her heart was telling her different.

"Well… can I know if I'll see you again?" Punk asked, it hurting him to know he had scared her away just like he had with everyone else in his life.

"I don't know." AJ shrugged, how could she possibly be in a relationship with such a dangerous man, she couldn't… no, she wouldn't.

"I'm sorry." Punk said, not really knowing what else to say other than that.

AJ just looked at him, he wasn't a bad man, he was just a man that had done bad things. His family was being threatened if he didn't, any normal person would go along with it. She knew he still was a loving, caring, sweet, romantic gentleman that she assumed he was on their first meetings, but she still just needed a little room to think.

Did she ignore his past and continue whatever it was that had been going on with them, or did she push him away like she eventually done with everyone that looked like they could care about her.

She had no idea. She turned on her heel, without so much as giving him a smile goodbye, right now she wasn't in a position to smile.

Punk just watched as she stumbled down the street. Anything good that he ever came close with getting, always seemed to disappear and all because of his ugly past that he held.

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	5. Chapter 5

AJ spent her full night, tossing and turning in bed. Punk was always on her mind. She couldn't process that someone so gentle and sweet could be capable of holding a dangerous past. She was looking for another dangerous man to share a bed with, she'd rather die alone.

She so desperately wanted to give him a chance, he wasn't a bad man, she knew he wasn't, he wasn't capable of hurting her, but the fear and thought just lingered around in her mind, a whole load of what if's and but's were circulating round her mind.

She had never been in such a position where she was totally lost and confused, she had no idea what she wanted to do. She wanted him so much, he was everything she wanted in a man. Handsome, the best personality she'd ever seen a man have, a caring nature, safety, he had it all, but with all that, it came a haunted and twisted past that who knows, maybe one day would find him again, or her. She wasn't putting herself at stake, she hadn't decided if he was that worth it yet, she'd only known him for two weeks, but it was enough to know he was the sweetest man she'd ever came across in life. She didn't want to let him escape. She could see he cared about her.

She just didn't have any idea what she was meant to do.

_The next morning…_

After a restless night for Punk too, he got up to find Seth and Dean making breakfast in the kitchen, having made him a plate too.

"You alright?" Seth asked Punk, sitting at the table, crunching on to a bit of toast. Him and Dean were both in their beds when Punk came home, but they heard him cursing all the way to the spare room, as well as punching the wall a few times.

"Great." Punk huffed, sitting down at the table beside Seth, throwing his crutches carelessly in the corner, having enough of them.

"I take it you told her?" Dean asked, standing in the kitchen and looking over at them, their kitchen was the type that could look out into the table.

"How long is it going to take… until someone… realises, we aren't bad people?" Punk asked them both, looking at them both say nothing.

"Great." Punk nodded, "That's the exact same reaction she gave me." He just chuckled as a sign of frustration.

"Dude… she'll respect your honesty." Dean said, it was the right thing for Punk to do.

"Yeah." Seth agreed, "And if she really likes you, as much as you like her, she'll give you a chance." Seth assured him with a smile.

"She looked terrified of me." Punk said, sighing as he recalled the previous night, AJ's scared self-walking away from him, demanding she went alone "Anyway…" Punk tried to change the conversation, "What are you both up to today?" He asked.

"I'm away to the cemetery, that's about it." Seth announced.

Punk just mentally kicked himself in the head, "Shit… sorry Seth, I'm hear rambling on about… sorry." Punk shook his head, remembering that it was Claire, Seth's girlfriends 4th anniversary.

Seth just shook his head and stood up, "Don't worry about it man." He said, patting Punk on the back as he walked by him and into his room.

Dean just leaned over the kitchen counter, throwing the knife he was using into the sink with a loud noise, "Fed up of this shit." He shook his head, everything these days were getting too much, everything him, Punk or Seth done, always revolved around their horrific past, why couldn't people just see past it. He was fed up.

_Later that day…_

Punk spent his day lying on the couch, throwing empty rappers of sweets that Dean and Seth had bought him when he just got out of hospital at the TV and thinking about AJ, cursing the fact that he told her about his previous life, now he wished he just continued to keep it from her, that way he'd still be seeing her.

Seth had done what he said he was going to do, he headed off not that long ago to the cemetery, wanting to be alone whilst visiting Claire's grave and remembering the day she was so violently took from him, trying to look past that and think about all the great times they shared.

Dean had gone off to work to have some alone time as well. Truth be told, they were all pretty close with Seth's girlfriend, she was the only girl that every stood by, even when they explained to her about their dangerous life, she stood by them. To Punk and Dean, she was like a little sister, always around when they woke up, a bubbly and smiley personality… sometimes for Dean and Punk, it was hard to face the fact that they were the reason she died, they both knew Seth could hardly live with himself anymore.

A few minutes away at the hospital, AJ just wasn't thinking straight, she could barely do a simple task like pour a cup of water for a patient. To know she had found such a perfect, almost right guy for her and for everything to come crumbling down, she just wanted to lie in bed and cry about it. She knew she shouldn't have built her hopes up.

"Are you alright?" Renee, one of AJ's friends and work mates asked, sitting across from AJ at the cafeteria in the hospital, both of them on their lunch break.

AJ just stared into space, her mind clearly on another planet, coming out of it when Renee snapped her fingers in front of her face.

"Huh… what?" AJ shook her head, not only was she still confused and terrified, she was shattered from lack of sleep, she was up all night last night thinking about Punk and the situation he had put her in, choosing between him and his terrifying past.

"You don't look very good." Renee said, noticing how pale and out of place her friend looked, "Has something happened? Is it that guy you're seeing?" She asked.

"What guy?" AJ snapped.

"The guy… you know… the one that came in looking for you, pretty sure he was in room 57, car accident or something." Renee said, crunching into her apple.

"Oh. Him." AJ said, "No. It's not him." AJ said, "I just… I've just not been feeling good, that's all." AJ lied.

"Oh…" Renee said, "Well… we're pretty quiet, why don't you head off early, I'll cover your shift." Renee smiled, watching AJ look at her with praise.

"Are you sure?" AJ asked Renee, grateful for such a kind friend, she definitely needed away from this place.

"Yeah, on you go. Go get some sleep." Renee suggested, watching AJ stand up and put her coat on in a flash.

"Thank you so much." AJ said, zipping her coat up as she shot away into the evening, not headed for her house, but her mind set on where she was headed, gathering her options in her head. Her brain told her to get as far away as possible from this man, while she could. Yet her heart told her to stay and give him a chance he rightly deserved. It wasn't like they still continued with living off blood money, they were changed men, with normal houses and apartments, normal jobs, just with terrifying pasts with haunted stories that scarred them for life.

She headed all the way to Punks friend's apartment, remembering where it was from her and Punks first date where she insisted to come pick him up. She knew what the wise thing to do was, but she also knew what the right thing to do was.

She made her way up to the second floor in the apartment building, knocking the door lightly with her knuckles, hearing a mumble straight away.

"I'm just coming!" Punk yelled, it having taken him time to get up from the couch for starters, never mind hobbling along with his crutches to the door, opening up, ready to chase whichever sales person was trying to sell him things, when he found himself in shock to see AJ standing at the door.

"AJ…" Punk said, not believing that she was actually here, he didn't think he would see her ever again.

"I'm willing to, look past whatever it was you used to call a job." She nodded to him, she couldn't let such a perfect object out of her life so quickly just because he'd done a few bad things, not to mention he was honest with her, every relationship was based on honesty, she was sure if he would have her, their relationship would grow strong.

"Are you serious?" Punk said, with a shocked smile.

AJ just nodded, "I don't know why, but I just can't let you slip away… not this easy." She shook her head.

Punk just smiled, he knew at this very moment that he already didn't deserve her, but boy was he glad that she managed to give him a chance, he was going to do everything in his power to make sure this relationship survived.

He didn't know what had happened, but ever since he'd woke up in the hospital after his crash, seeing her, it just changed everything, he hadn't wanted something so badly in his life and knowing he had the opportunity to get it, he was the happiest man alive.

"Thanks." Punk smiled, watching her just nod and wrap her arms around his body, remembering he had sore ribs, not squeezing too tight, but enough to comfort him.

Punk let his crutches fall to the floor and wrapped his arms around her smaller body, already smiling at the sudden realisation of how amazing their bodies felt against each other.

AJ hoped she had made the right decision, but feeling his body holding hers as they hugged, she already knew she had. She really liked him and she believed that people could change their ways, he clearly was a perfect example of that. She was willing to give this a shot if he was, it was finally time to come out of that bubble she had been hiding in from her last relationship.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**

**Thanks guys for all the REVIEWS so far! You never disappoint. I know this seems like such a simple story, but you can never go wrong with simple stories, well I don't think. Again, thanks for the REVIEWS, much appreciated and keep them coming! Enjoy.**


	6. Chapter 6

"You're really giving me a chance at this." Punk said, in disbelief but yet so happy. No one had ever gave him a chance like this, every girl he got close to would split just as fast as his biological family did.

"Everyone deserves a chance. I know you aren't a bad man." She said, looking up at him with a smile. She could see how happy he was by just looking into his eyes. She really liked him, she wasn't going to ditch him just because he'd took a wrong turn in the past, "I really like you… I haven't like anyone since…" She paused, looking up at his concerned face, "Since a long time… this is good for me." AJ smiled up at him.

"I promise you, you won't regret this." Punk promised. He would never tarnish this chance she was giving him, he knew it must have scared her a little to know what he had done and what he was capable of, but he was a different man now, a man that could learn to love and protect the ones close to him again.

After they agreed on another date in a few nights time, AJ left the apartment before Punks friends got back, she didn't want bombarded by them, not just yet, and she still wanted to get home in enough time to catch some sleep, now that she could relax easy, decision free and looking forward to her next date with Punk.

Dean and Seth arrived back home shortly after AJ had left, noticing how smiley and happy their friend looked, they had to call into question.

"What are you all smiles about?" Seth asked Punk, both him and Dean sitting down on the couch beside Punk.

"Oh nothing… just the fact that I have another date with AJ in a few days." Punk smiled to them.

"Dude, seriously?" Dean said, with a shocked smile as he hit Punks arm with glee, forgetting that Punks body was still aching.

"Yeah." Punk smiled, holding his arm after Dean's excited slapping.

"That's good man." Seth smiled, standing up and walking away into his room, "That's good." He mumbled.

Punk just sighed as he looked at Seth closing his room door over.

"He really needs to get over her." Dean grumbled, folding his arms, they didn't only loose Clair four years ago, they also lost a bit of Seth along the way, he hadn't been the same after her death and it sucked.

"He loved her man…" Punk said, "He won't just get over it." Punk said, looking at Dean, realising that he had thought of an idea and face palming himself, "What?" Punk grumbled into his hands, Deans ideas always ended up in a fight or a barney in this small little apartment.

"We should set him up on a date. It will be good for him." Dean suggested.

"Like he'll go through with it." Punk chuckled.

"Well we don't tell him then." Dean said, "You could ask… AJ, that's her name right?" He assured himself.

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"Well you could ask AJ the next time you see her, if she has any friends… this could be good for Seth." Dean said.

"You think?" Punk asked, not being really fond of the idea.

"Yeah. Claire wouldn't want him sitting around mourning all day. He needs to get on with his life." Dean said, which Punk partly agreed with, the other still took into consideration that Seth maybe didn't want to move on and nor him or Dean could change his mind about that, but it was worth a shot, he guessed.

_A few days later…_

AJ decided to just invite Punk round to her house for dinner for their next date, she felt terrible dragging him out to all these restaurants and figured he would be more comfier sitting on a couch and watching a movie, and maybe because she preferred to do that as well.

They fit straight back into their normal selves thankfully for AJ, she was worried that things would be awkward between them after Punk admitting to his haunting past, but things seemed to run smoothly like they had done on their previous meetings.

"You got a nice place." Punk said politely, sitting on the couch, his arm around AJ as she snuggled into him, the TV on for distraction.

"Thanks." AJ smiled, "It's not anything fancy, but it does me." She said.

"Have you always lived alone?" Punk asked, not coming across as nosey, just wondering.

"Well, you know… I've had my share of relationships, but yeah… I guess I've always lived alone, what about you?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah. Alone since birth." Punk chuckled, seeing AJ look at him with concern from the corner of her eye.

"What do you mean…" AJ shook her head in confusion.

"Just my biological family are a bunch of assholes." He said, not really wanting to get into detail, whenever he talked about his family, he got angry and he didn't want AJ to see him angry.

"I thought you had sisters and…"

"They aren't my real sisters." Punk shook his head, "I would say I got adopted but it wasn't really confirmed properly, there was no adoption sheets involved, I just left home and stayed with a friend from school, she had sisters that knew me since they were babies, they're my family." Punk said.

"When did you leave home?" AJ asked.

"When I was 15." Punk said, looking at AJ give him a sort of sympathetic look, "Please, don't feel sorry for me." He asked her nicely, "I found a family who loved me." He smiled, watching her just smile and lean her head on his chest. He didn't want her sympathy, yeah it was nice for someone to care, but he didn't need sympathy, as far as he was concerned, no one lived a perfect life.

"What about you?" Punk asked, "Where are your family all at?" He asked her, keeping his eyes on the TV as he began to stroke her soft hair, feeling her body stiffen a little when he done so.

AJ just cleared her throat with an awkward cough, "They're um… they're dead." She said, feeling him get a little awkward and stiff.

"Shit… sorry." Punk shook his head.

"It's fine. You didn't know." AJ nodded, fiddling with her fingers nervously.

"When did they… you know…"

"When I was 5." AJ said quickly, "I suppose it was good being so young, I didn't really know what was going on." AJ admitted.

"Where did you go?" Punk asked, beginning to realise him and AJ were more alike than what he thought, they both had an awful upbringing, both lived alone for the majority of life, dedicated their life to work now a days.

"I eh… I stayed at my mom's friends with her son." AJ said, looking on at the TV, watching Punk in the border of the TV, watching him look down at her through the reflection.

"Anyways…" Punks said after staring down at AJ for a few minutes, "I need to ask you a favour." Punk said, watching AJ sit up from him and look over at him.

"Yeah?" She raised her eyebrows.

"You don't happen to have a single friend, who'd be willing to go on a date with one of my friends?" He asked, puppy dog eyes headed towards her way.

AJ just smiled and chuckled down at the ground, "I might. Why?" AJ asked him.

"Well one of my friends, Seth… you know, the one who lost his girl, me and Dean were thinking we set him up on a date, try help him move on." Punk explained.

"Are you sure that is the best idea?" AJ said, not knowing if someone who had lost their girlfriend would want to be set up on a blind date.

"Well he has to move on, the sooner the better in my opinion." Punk said.

"Well… I have a friend at work, she's really sweet. Let me talk to her." AJ smiled to him.

"Thank you." Punk said, gratefully.

_The next week…_

"Where are you fucks taking me to?" Seth asked, sitting in the passenger's seat in Dean's car, Punk in the back while Dean pulled up at a restaurant on the corner of the street.

"You'll thank us for this later." Dean said, pointing to the restaurant. They all assumed that Seth's date was the blonde haired women, sitting at the window, already ordered herself a glass of wine, waiting patiently.

"You set me up on a date with a girl I don't know?" Seth said, looking from Dean to Punk.

"Well, she's AJ's friend." Punk said.

"Does it look like I care?" Seth said to Punk, "I haven't even met AJ yet… no, I'm not going in." Seth folded his arms.

"You can't just stand her up." Dean said, not wanting this woman to be embarrassed.

"Well you both should have thought about that. I don't want a girlfriend. Just… let's go home." Seth said, no way was he getting out this car.

"What the hell are you waiting for? Claire's gone man, she's dead." Dean said, "She isn't coming back, so quit mourning around for her and move on with your life." He spat.

Punk just rolled his shoulders back, not liking the tension that was brought into the car.

Seth just looked at Dean, feeling hurt and saddened by his words.

"Do you know what…" Dean said, "Fuck it, I'm not letting that poor woman sit there herself all night. You drive home." He said to Seth, stepping out of the car and banging the door shut, heading into the restaurant.

Punk just looked at Seth, "You alright man?" He asked.

"Yeah." Seth nodded, "I'm fine."

_The next day…_

"I told you." AJ said, looking across to Punk. She had invited him round for dinner to our house, which to Punks surprise, she was a pretty good cook. Punk had just finished explaining how things went down with Seth's surprise date.

"I felt awful." Punk said, "He looked like he was about to start crying." Punk said, recalling Seth's features from the night before when Dean let Seth know how he felt about the situation.

"Just give him some time." AJ suggested, standing up and clearing the plates away, taking them through to the kitchen and placing them in the sink, hearing Punk crutch his way behind her.

"Need a hand?" Punk asked, wanting to know if he could help with doing the dishes or anything.

"No…" AJ smiled, turning round to him, "I'll do them later." She said, looking up at him with desire.

She was surprised that they had went this long without even kissing yet, she figured Punk was just waiting for the right moment and since their relationship got off to a rocky start, she assumed he was just taking his time, letting her take control which she appreciated. She hadn't felt this way about anyone before, he brought out such a happy side to her and when she woke up in the morning now, she found herself smiling.

Punk so desperately wanted to kiss her, but he felt nervous for some strange reason, he was scared in case he messed things up, he felt like their relationship was on a thin line since he confessed about his previous life, like if he was to do one thing wrong, he would lose her forever and he didn't want that, he'd got used to having her as a part of his life already, he was used to her smile and laugh replaying in his head, her beauty always in his eyes. He didn't want to lose her.

"What are you waiting for?" AJ asked him curiously, wondering why he wasn't making a move when she was clearly giving him off a vibe that she wanted to feel his lips against hers.

"I… I'm just." Punk swallowed a nervous lump in his throat, "I'm just scared I mess this up." He admitted.

"Kiss me." AJ said with a nod, "I want you to."

Punk just looked down at her and hesitated his head down bit by bit, until he couldn't back out, his urge had took over him.

Her lips were like soft velvet, moving against his as her arms came up to circle his neck, he'd never felt a kiss like it.

AJ couldn't stop if she tried, his mouth was just as sweet as she imagined and it fitted against hers perfectly, the way their tongues tangled smoothly against each other, it was like it was meant to be. His hands caressed either side of her sides while they continued to lock their mouths around each other.

Punk knew at that moment in time that this relationship wasn't going to be like any normal relationship that he had had before, AJ wasn't like any other girlfriend he had had before, she was special, she was different, she was meant for him, he knew this relationship would go to the heights of which love went to, and he wasn't even scared loving her when the time came, he felt like he had done it before, like he knew her. He wasn't letting go of this one, not in a million years.

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	7. Chapter 7

After Punk got home, he wish he had stayed out later since he came home to Seth and Dean quarrelling like usual.

"Alright, what's going on?" Punk said with a tired expression coming in the door, he'd just had a great night with AJ, why did his childish friends have to ruin it.

"You stay out of it." Seth pointed to Punk, "Unless you want the other leg broken."

Punk just looked to Dean, had he done something wrong.

"Don't take it out on him." Dean said, "You can't spend the rest of your life like this Seth, we're not doing this to hurt you, we're trying to help you." Dean explained.

"Maybe I don't want your help." Seth said, "If your help is setting me up on dates with women I don't know then I definitely don't want your help." He rolled his eyes, "I hope one day, you both fall in love, so you can picture what it would be like without her, because that's how I feel every damn day." Seth said, looking at Dean and Punk not saying anything. Punk stayed balanced on his crutches, looking down at the floor whilst Dean just twiddled his thumbs around.

"I'm going to bed." Punk said, hopping by Dean and Seth, walking into the spear room to which had been his room for the past few weeks, closing the door over behind him.

"Sorry." Dean said, "I just wanted to help you. She wouldn't want this." Dean said.

"I don't want this. But it's the way it has to be." Seth said, "I have work in the morning, so if you don't mind." Seth said, backing away into his room, closing the door over to where Dean was left standing himself.

He actually enjoyed the date he had to go have with what was meant to be Seth's blind date. She was sweet and cute and for some reason he wanted to see her again and he told her that at the date, but would him and Punk both having girlfriends help with Seth's situation, he didn't know, but quite frankly he didn't care, he wasn't holding back from having a life just because Seth's was ripped from him.

_The next day…_

"I think I'm going back home now." Punk said, having joined AJ for breakfast the next morning before she headed out to work.

"How come?" AJ asked. She had spent the past years going for breakfast herself, usually just getting a coffee to take away, so having someone join her was always a plus, especially when it was Punk.

"Last night, when I left yours, I walked into Seth and Dean's to them fighting." Punk said, seeing AJ raise her eyebrows in surprise.

"What… real fighting?" She asked, assuming he would know what she meant by that.

"No… not punching or anything like that, just shouting at each other. If anything Seth is getting worse as the years go by." Punk said.

"Well you know, he clearly loved this girl, I hate to know what he's feeling like. I'm sure the last thing he needs is you and Dean setting him up on blind dates." AJ said.

"We thought it would help him." Punk shrugged, "Anyway… Dean went in for the date instead, Seth refused." Punk said.

"Yeah, Renee was telling me. Said she had a good time." AJ smiled.

"Good." Punk smiled, watching AJ take another gentle sip of her coffee, the steam still circulating off of it. Every minute he was with her he felt so much happier than what he was when he was alone, her presence was enough to make him smile, they'd been dating for a few weeks now, as soon as his cast was coming off, there wouldn't be just making out on the couch. He shook the imaginable images out of his head, not wanting to get carried away with himself this early in the morning. "When do you start?" Punk asked her.

"9." AJ said.

"We still on for tonight?" Punk asked her, having suggested them going out later on in the night, her pick in where she wanted to go.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I'll text you when I get in from work." She said.

After they had finished and left the café type Breakfast bar they had went to, they headed out to where AJ drove off to work and Punk walked to Seth and Deans to get his remaining things and head back to his own home.

He got to Seth's and Dean's, realising they both were at work, he just took the things he needed to take home with him and left out the door, locking it behind him and getting a cab to his house, not being able to drive. His broken leg was becoming a nuisance.

The last time he was in his house was before he was in the car crash, how things had changed since then. By that he meant meeting AJ.

_Later that night…_

AJ suggested that they just crash at Punks for the night, get a pizza to take home and watch a few DVD's which Punk was fine with.

"Nice place." AJ said as she got into his house, taking her coat off and hanging it over on the chair, taking a look around at the average sized house.

"Thanks." Punk said, "What DVD's did you get?" He asked, walking towards her, having remembered she was going to the Video and DVD shop to rent a few for them to watch.

"Alright." AJ said, reaching in the plastic bag, "I got…" She lay the DVD's out on the kitchen table for him to see, "Batman, Dark Knight Rises… The Goonies… Nightmare On Elm Street and Definitely Maybe." She smiled over to him, watching him think hard.

"Alright… I think we should start off with The Goonies, then Batman, then Nightmare On Elm Street and because that shit still scares me, we can finish with Definitely Maybe to lighten the mood a bit." Punk smiled to her.

"Good thinking." She said, "You go sort them out then, I'll phone pizza." She said, walking away with her phone into the kitchen to get some silence to phone.

Punk and AJ were both surprised at how natural they now felt around each other, like they had been dating for years, it was a good feeling and it was nice to have each other's company every night, something that they weren't used to before.

Just as they had both got comfy on the couch after AJ phoned their dinner for the night, starting their first film, Dean barged in the door to their surprise.

"Dean?" Punk said, putting his hands in the air at Dean's inconsiderate eruption to their atmosphere, feeling AJ lift her head from his chest and sit over from him a bit.

"Sorry." Dean said, "I didn't know you had company." He fluttered his eyelashes at Punk, realising Punk was pissed off and getting to the purpose of him being here, "It's good you're actually here." Dean pointed to AJ, this being his first time meeting her, apart from when him and Seth collected Punk from the hospital.

"Me?" AJ said pointing to herself and looking to Punk who just shook his head.

"Yeah." Dean nodded, "You don't happen to have Renee's number? You know… the one that we were meant to set Seth up on a date with." Dean asked, looking towards AJ with hope, looking to Punk aswell.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Pass me my bag over." AJ pointed over to the corner for Dean to get her bag.

Dean quickly passed her the bag as she got her phone out. He grabbed a pen that was lying on the coffee table and wrote down the number that AJ shouted out on his hand.

"Thank you." Dean smiled, about to leave and give them peace when he remembered his gentleman like manners. He took AJ's hand and kissed it, "Pleasure to meet you." He winked to her as AJ just held in her laugh.

"Alright." Punk rolled his eyes, "Get out of here." He said, hitting Dean with a cushion as Dean chuckled his way out the door.

"Sorry about him." Punk said, putting the cushion he took off the couch back in place, feeling AJ lie back down into him.

"He's sweet." AJ smiled, "Not as sweet as you though." She said, looking up at him, looking at his crooked smile appear on his face, feeling him press his lips against hers for a few seconds before turning back to the TV and pressing play, sinking into the couch and enjoying the body heat and closeness.

_Later that night…_

Punk and AJ were now on their very last movie, having watched three other ones, enjoying Chicago's finest pizza during the second one. Punk couldn't have asked for a more relaxed relationship than this. It was clear to see AJ wasn't a party girl and he digged that, he loved nothing more than staying inside, curled up on the sofa and enjoying some ratchet movies.

It was about half way into their last movie that he noticed AJ had actually fell asleep on him. He didn't blame her, she worked long, exhausting shifts at work, he'd most likely fall asleep to. He didn't really know what to do. He didn't want to wake her, yet he didn't want to leave her sleeping out on the couch.

He gently lifted her head from his chest, standing up and letting her rest her head on the couch, letting himself stand up and think to himself.

He supposed he would sleep out here tonight and let her take his bed, he didn't want to jump into bed with her, one because he didn't want to confuse her when she woke, two because he didn't really feel it would be appropriate or right, not just yet anyway.

"Alright, bear with me." Punk said, having a broken leg made simple tasks much harder, like lifting a girl and putting her in his bed.

He scooped her up, light as a feather and so elegantly perched in his arms as he walked slowly into his room, limping on his leg as he walked.

He pulled the covers over and laid her gently on the soft mattress, tucking the covers back over her. He could have watched her sleep all night, as creepy as that might have sounded. She just looked so perfect, all of the time.

He could see himself falling head over heels for this girl and he wasn't even scared, having someone to love, someone who loves you, it was something he had never experienced. He already couldn't imagine his life without her and they'd only been dating for several weeks.

She was so gentle, so sweet and kind. How he had managed to end up persuading her to date him was insane but yet it was like it was meant to be. Her patience and touch, her kisses and hugs, he could live off them for eternity, he'd never felt this way about anyone before, everytime he saw her he got this weird bottomless feeling in his stomach and when she wasn't with him, he was constantly thinking of her, picturing her smile, her angelic laugh, he didn't know what she had done to him, why he had turned so mushy over her, but quite frankly he didn't care. He just couldn't get enough of her, that car crash was worth it in his mind now, because it brought him to her.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

Over the next few weeks, things for AJ and Punk couldn't have been sweeter. There was nothing more enjoyable for Punk than spending all his mornings and nights with AJ, weather it was an hour before she went off to work, or if it was spending the night out with her after work, he was getting so used to having her around 24/7 and he was enjoying every minute, not to mention his cast was coming off in a few weeks.

AJ had been introduced to Punks friends a few times now, she really enjoyed being in their company, they put a smile on her face. The past months had been great, she loved spending time with Punk and was glad she didn't run away when he told her about his past, these few weeks had proof of how sweet and gentle he really was, he had just got caught up in bad situations in the past.

Dean had also found a new like in AJ's friend, Renee. She was definitely his type, blonde, bubbly, up for a good night and always happy. There was a slight hint of sympathy that he shared for Seth, he felt that him and Punk were rubbing it in his face that they had girlfriends, but they did try to help him, selfishly he was glad Seth never agreed to the blind date with Renee, he had her now and he was slowly getting attached to her just like Punk was to AJ.

It was AJ's off day and she was of course, spending it with Punk. They had went down to the beach front, claiming a picnic bench for the afternoon and buying things from the food shack nearby, it wasn't particularly a warm day, but it was nice weather to be outside for fresh air.

"So… how long is it now until your cast comes off?" AJ asked Punk, sitting across from him on the picnic table, unscrewing the lid off her cola and taking a drink.

"2 weeks and five days." Punk clenched his fist in triumph, not being able to wait to get the cast off.

"And you'll go to therapy right?" AJ said, looking at him with a nod.

"Well… why can't you just give me therapy in the house?" Punk suggested.

AJ took that as a sexual hint and chuckled under her breath, "Whatever you think is best. What would I know? I'm just the nurse." She looked away from him and took a look around at her surroundings, smiling as the cold air touched her skin, smiling at the little kids running around having fun.

"Have you always been like this?" Punk said, fidgeting around with the bottle of water he had bought, watching AJ turn her attention back to him.

"Like what?" She looked at him with strange expression.

"Just… so care free, like you've been heaven and back." He said, he didn't know how someone could be so calm and care free all of the time.

"Trust me." AJ looked at him with a sincere look, "I've not always been like this." She told him, watching his expression change a little, a curious look on his face, "Like you said, we all have our past." She said to him, screwing her eyes as the sunlight crept by the cloud it had been hiding behind for the past half hour.

"What's your past?" Punk asked curiously.

"You don't want to know. Trust me." She smiled to him, knowing it would be better off if he didn't know.

"I do." Punk convinced her, nodding and taking her hand, a way of telling her that it would be alright, whatever it was she needed to tell him.

"I thought he loved me." AJ said, looking down, looking anywhere apart from at him, "I had no way out. All I could do was run, he always found me."

"Who?" Punk shook his head.

"My ex." AJ looked up at him, "He um…" She stalled for a bit, sheer embarrassment and pity taking over her, "He abused me for four years." She said, looking down at the ground again, taking her hand away from his slowly and placing them down on her lap.

Punk just let a low toned tut out, running his hand through his hair and standing up, hobbling round to sit beside her, putting his arm around her and pulling her into him.

"I didn't want…"

"Shhh." Punk cut her off, "You don't need to explain." Punk shook his head, silencing her, not wanting her to relive what he assumed was such a horrible time in her life, he'd heard enough.

_Later on that night…_

AJ had been itching to tell Punk about her previous relationship, but just didn't know when the right time was to tell him, she knew it wouldn't make a big difference but he still deserved to know.

She loved how sincere and genuinely comforting he was about it, not wanting her to explain it, understanding enough to not make her go through the embarrassment and the pain of reliving everything again. She appreciated that.

"It's getting cold, here." Punk stopped in their tracks of going home, taking his zipper off and putting it round her shoulders, watching her look up and smile to him, hugging the warm sweater round her as they continued to walk down the street.

Punk couldn't wrap his head around someone wanting to hurt this beautiful, sweet, angel type woman. Either the man was just scum, or he had some mental and self-control problems that kept him from keeping his anger away. Either way, there was no excuse for hitting a woman.

"When is your next day off?" Punk asked her, walking her all the way home, as if he wasn't protective enough, he felt himself get even more protective over her after she admitted to being a abused in her last relationship. He wasn't going to just keep her safe now, he was going to make sure that no one laid another finger on her ever again.

"Not until Saturday." AJ frowned, realising it was only Monday.

"Well. I'll see you before then." Punk said, "But what do you say, you join me for thanksgiving with my family, they live in the centre of Chicago, so it's about a half hour drive from here. I'd really like for you to be there." He said, hoping she would be ok with seeing his family, or the people he'd learned to call his family.

"I'd love to." AJ smiled, that being the nicest thing AJ had ever been asked to do, she'd never been asked to go meet a boy's family, she definitely felt like a teenager, but it was a good feeling, like butterflies were appearing in her tummy.

"Good." Punk smiled, glad she didn't bail him out, "I'll see you before then though, ok?" He reassured her, watching her nod as he went in for a peck on the lips, waiting until she got all the way into her house before leaving to go home to his.

_Saturday…_

AJ volunteered to drive since Punk was still in no condition to, she also wanted Punk to phone his mom and sisters to tell them she was coming, not wanting things to be surprisingly awkward with his family and herself. She wasn't good dealing with awkward situations and Punk knew to from the months he had now spent with her.

She didn't know why, but she felt nervous, like she was searching for approval, but Punk had told her that there wasn't anything to worry about and that they were anything but judgemental people, so she believed him.

"You ok?" AJ asked him, watching him stiffly get out the car and hop onto the pavement with his crutches after pulling the car up.

"Yeah." Punk said, the day he got rid of this cast and these crutches he would jump for joy and sing from the rooftops.

"You go in first." She said nervously, watching him chuckle and hop on in front of her, knocking at the door but then just walking in, something he done to all his close relatives and friends.

AJ couldn't remember the last time she spent a thanksgiving with a family or a boyfriend, or just people for that matter, she was either working or stuck in her house alone, it was nice to go out and meet some new people and eat some good food, from what she could smell anyway.

Punk done the honours of introducing everyone to AJ and AJ to everyone, there were his sisters, his mom, a few other high school friends, his high school friends kids. Safe to say it was a packed house.

AJ had forgot what it felt like to have a family and be loved and asked how you had been doing and how work was, she had forgot all about it and this family seemed so warm and sweet, she could see where Punk had got his nature from.

After one of probably the most awesome thanksgiving meal ever, she found herself sitting on Punks lap, his arms around her waist from behind as small chat circulated the room, most people complaining about how full they were after dinner.

"How long have you two been seeing each other?" Punks mom asked, having a more private conversation with Punk and AJ in the corner.

"Just over 3 months." Punk said, looking to AJ to make sure he was right in thinking that, watching her nod in agreement.

"So before the crash or after?" His mom asked curiously.

"After. Well, actually… AJ was my nurse in the hospital I got took to in Chicago." Punk said, watching his mom raise her eyebrows with a devious smile.

"Oh right." His mom understood, "Take care of you, did she?" She smiled, looking at AJ go bright red but still smiling, almost chuckling.

"Yeah actually." Punk smiled like a child, "She did."

"Well, I'm glad you are happy Phil, nice to have you home again." His mom smiled, rubbing shoulder comfortingly, standing up and walking away to attend to her other members of family.

"She's nice." AJ said, leaning her back into Punk as he rested his chin on her shoulder, still sitting on his lip with comfort.

"She's the sweetest." Punk smiled, glad to have AJ with him on his visit home to his family.

"Mmm." AJ moaned with satisfaction, turning her head to Punk, "You're the sweetest." She smiled, laying a gentle kiss on her lips. This thanksgiving she was thankful for having such an amazing man in her life at this moment in time.

**I hope everyone had a lovely thanksgiving, enjoyed time with their families and stayed safe! **

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	9. Chapter 9

"Woah, look at you." AJ smiled as she answered the door to Punk, standing with his basketball shorts on, both legs bare and looking normal again.

She let his smiling self in, closing the door in on the cold night and heading to the couch where he had already made himself comfy. 2 weeks and five days finally past after thanksgiving and Punks cast had finally gone and the crutches were up in the attic since the hospital let him keep them.

"So how's your leg feeling now?" AJ asked, sitting down beside Punk.

"Like it could run a marathon." Punk smiled, "No… it's feeling ok, still a bit stiff, the doctor said that would be gone within a week, he gave me exercises but I just told him I had my own." Punk shook his head.

All day he was thinking of tonight, how he finally might be able to do more than just kiss AJ on the lips, even though three months of that was still pure heaven, he just really wanted to break that next step with her. The boys killed themselves laughing when they knew he hadn't slept with her yet, but then they also took it as a very big hint that Punk was willing to wait for this girl, until the time was right. He just hoped tonight was the right night.

"I had a kid come into the work today, he'd stepped on a nail and it went right through his foot." AJ shook the images from her head as Punk just cringed, "Poor thing wouldn't stop screaming."

"Did you get it out?" Punk asked.

"Yeah, of course." AJ said, "We still on for breakfast tomorrow?" She asked him, looking up at him.

"Yeah…" Punk nodded, thinking of something smart to say, "Well… I was thinking maybe, I go out and get us breakfast and bring it back here." He said, hoping she took some hint from that.

"Oh." AJ nodded, "Right…" She nervously fidgeted with the sleeves on her jumper.

"You don't have to be nervous." Punk turned his body her way, holding her hands still from shaking.

"I haven't done this in a long time." AJ whispered.

She hadn't slept with anyone in four years, he probably hadn't slept with anyone in four months. There was a different in that. She liked him so much, she didn't want to ruin the spark they had, but yet this might make their relationship even stronger, she was nervous, too nervous.

"Neither have I." Punk said, trying to convince her, watching her just look at him with a 'yeah right' face, chuckling.

"It's not I don't want to do it… I'm just scared of the outcome." AJ said.

"You don't have to be." Punk said, shuffling towards her and stroking her cheek, "I'm not going to hurt you. I'll take care of you." He said, watching her keep her head down, knowing she was telling herself different things in her brain. He wasn't waiting any longer, she would just have to realise that he wasn't going to hurt her and that he would give her a night to remember.

AJ looked up to speak and say something when she felt Punks lips press against hers. She didn't even know why she was so nervous anyway, it was him, she trusted him, she knew he cared about her, otherwise he would have left a long time ago if it was just sex he was after.

She wrapped her arms around neck, a signal to let him know she was going through with this, she was still scared, but she couldn't figure out if it was a good scared she was feeling. She knew he would take good care of her.

Punk stood up with his lips still attached to her, picking her up from the couch, hearing a light squeal vibrate against his lips, followed by him chuckling.

He wasn't rushing, he knew he had all the time in the world and boy was he going to use all of that time to focus his attention all on her.

When he reached the bedroom, he closed the door over with his foot, still having her in his arms, her legs circled around his waist as they ventured around in each other's mouth.

Punk walked to the double bed in the middle of the room, laying AJ down on it. He could tell she was taking silent deep breaths to stay calm, in a way he thought it was good that she was nervous, it showed him how much she liked him. He was nervous too, he'd never been nervous about sleeping with a girl before.

AJ cupped his cheeks from lying down on the centre of the bed, looking up at him towering over her and pulling his neck down to reach out for his lips again. Their lips touching almost calmed her, put the nerves at ease, she was oblivious to everything else around her, all she seen was him.

Punk took no time in pulling away for a second and stripping his t-shirt from himself, throwing it away somewhere in the room and looking at AJ take a good look at his chest, gathering her lips with his again, this time feeling her hands on his bare back, her nails digging in lightly to the warm skin.

AJ gasped a little when his lips left from their current destination to all the way down her neck and collarbone.

"Phil…" AJ moaned, realising how much she actually did want this and that her fears meant squat now, she wanted him, right here, she hadn't met perfection like him, she never thought she would, so if her only choice was to glove on to him and not let him go, then so be it, because this man was everything she could have ever dreamed off, she never thought she'd find love like him in this cruel world.

"Let me see you." Punk muttered under his breath. AJ didn't know if he was talking to himself, which by the looks of things he was.

Punk waited for her to give him permission, which was a simple nod. She blinked and her t-shirt was up and over her head.

Punk knew at the same time as wanting to busy himself with her as much as he could, he knew she was obviously in a rough relationship previously, she'd have scars, and he didn't mean on the outside.

"You are gorgeous." Punk said, pressing feather kisses on her collarbone, slithering his cold hands behind her back and unclasping her bra with just one hand, grinning devilishly as he threw it away, revealing herself to him.

He'd never seen a women so insecure about herself than her, when she had the most perfect body he had ever laid eyes on, he didn't want to stare down at her for too long, although he could have done it all night, he leaned down and latched on to her right breast, cupping and lightly squeezing the other one in his hand, swapping and in between leaning up to kiss her trembling lips.

AJ had goose bumps in every part of her body, her stomach tingled with anticipation every time he pulled away and swirled his tongue back around the tender flesh. Trying to hold in the small moans was impossible for her, but he seemed to like them, so she didn't hold back.

"Phil… Oh god, that feels so good." She rolled her eyes back, being so comfy with her head on the pillow and her boyfriend making every bone in her body turn to mush. Her hand was cupped around the back of his head as he continued for a little while longer sucking, touching, kissing and feeling her, he seriously could have done it all day.

AJ suddenly felt his lips and tongue leave her breasts and trail down her stomach, reaching the waistband of her jeans he looked up at her, again as if asking for permission.

AJ just nodded, helping him along the way with pulling her jeans down, lifting her hips up as he got rid of the jeans, not wasting any time in getting rid of her panties to.

AJ had never been this bare in front of another man in so long and the last time she was, she couldn't say she enjoyed it every time, but this… this was one of the most enjoyable things she had ever agreed to do, letting him love her.

Punk didn't really know where to begin, how he had managed to land on such beauty, it confused him but it didn't hold him back. He moved AJ up the bed a little, giving him room to lie down in between her legs.

"You don't have to." AJ looked down at him. As much as she wanted him to touch her, if he didn't want to, she wasn't going to force him, but something was telling her that he definitely wanted to. It looked like he was just stopping for a minute to check her out, which by the way he was looking at her, it put herself at ease.

"Shhh." Punk put his finger to his lips, looking up at her as she lay her head back down on the pillow, having tensed it up to speak to him.

She felt him spread her folds with his two fingers and then after, all she saw was red, all she heard was the sound of his muffled groaning from his head being buried away, all she felt was the deepest, pleasurable surrounding at her abdomen.

"Oh…" She looked down at him with drugged out eyes, his wet tongue and lips covering every sensitive nerve down below, "Please… don't stop." She begged, she didn't want to say that, but she was speaking the truth, she didn't want this feeling to go away.

Punk just smiled at her begging words. She didn't have to worry, he wouldn't stop, not until he felt he'd done his job properly.

She tasted so sweet and against his tongue, everything he was touching felt so soft and velveteen like. While his tongue was busy, not missing any part of her wet centre, he pushed a finger into her, finding her g-spot and rubbing up against it, her moans getting louder and louder.

"Oh yeah…" AJ moaned, running her hands through his slicked back messy hair, "Mmm, that feels so good baby." She praised him, any nerves she had gathered had gone, she was open, bare and writhing under his touch.

Punk continued to keep his finger moving inside her, whilst sucking and licking at the sensitive flesh. He'd imagined this so many times in the past three months, being here with her like this, making her moan and shake under him. Everything was living up to his expectations, if anything this was ten times better than what he imagined.

AJ started to feel her core tighten and a sudden build up in her stomach, "Phil… I'm so close." She moaned, grabbing the bed sheets beside her, feeling and watching him increase the pace of his finger inside her, bumping his tongue up and around her clit, giving her enough friction to orgasm for the first time of the night, first time in a long time actually.

"Phil… baby… Oh…" She moaned as her muscles contracted, resulting her sweet nectar flowing out of her, ready for Punk to catch.

Punk licked her clean, every single drip, holding her shaking body at the hips as he done so. He moved up her body with a charming smile on his face, looking down at her, her eyes innocently staring up at his as she pulled his neck down fiercely, kissing him on the lips. He could tell this was a thank you from her, but loving her came free for him.

"Oh…" She muffled against his lips, "That felt so good." She said, an evil chuckle escaping her as she pulled away from him.

Punk just smiled and chuckled, kissing down upon her neck, feeling her surprisingly able to roll him over on his back, lying on top of him as she kissed him on his lips, feeling him cup her breasts as he did so.

"You have such a perfect body." He whispered in her ear as she returned the compliment with a smile.

AJ moved down a little and straddled his hips, kissing his chest and neck as she done so. He had such a powerful chest, the thought up riding him whilst keeping her hands on those colourful, muscular pecs, she was getting carried away with herself.

Punk watched with a smile, making himself comfy as AJ stopped her journey at his jeans, unbuckling his belt and pulling his jeans, along with his boxers down.

"Like what you see?" Punk raised his eyebrow with a smirk at her, watching her fairly examine him.

"You're um…" She bit her tongue, telling him he was big would only boost his ego, so she kept it in and wrapped her hand around him, watching him as he rolled his eyes.

After stroking him for as long as she felt she needed to, she leaned her head down and opened her mouth to take him in, tasting some pre fluids he had clearly spilled but never the less bobbing up and down slowly on him.

"AJ… look at me." Punk said, wanting to see those big brown eyes as she sucked on his length, waiting for them to appear and when they did, he reached his hand down and stroked her face as she continued to suck up and then all the way down, gagging a few times but not letting it affect her.

She was surprised when she felt Punk pull her up gently, rolling her on to her back and opening her legs up.

"What… what are…"

"Shh." Punk put his finger to her lips, "Don't want it to be over that fast, do we?" He said, removing his finger from her lips, tracing it down over her breasts and down to her re-wet centre, circling the pad of his finger around her clit as she moaned with satisfaction, "Where's the condoms?" Punk whispered in her ear, continuing to toy with her down below.

"Top drawer." AJ gasped out.

Punk removed his hand from down below and reach over her, into the top drawer to grab out a condom. Ripping the rapper off with his teeth and leaning back to roll it on, letting AJ comfy herself on her back.

"You ready?" Punk said, leaning back over her as she looked up at him, nodding quickly. She wanted this so badly, the wait for him was beginning to hurt.

"Please Phil, make love to me… I want to feel you." AJ moaned, her hands already sat on his back, ready to dig in the moment his length buried into her.

"Relax." Punk kissed her on the lips gently, "You should be kissed, every hour, every minute, every second of every day." He said as he kissed down on her neck and to her lips, finally guiding his hardened member into her dripping opening, the tightness and warmth he was feeling being hard to help keep control.

"Oh Phil…" AJ moaned as she grabbed on to his back, feeling him buried all the way. He was so big, but he filled her and it felt so good to feel him around her walls.

"AJ. Baby, you're so tight." He said, giving her muscles time to contract against him before he started to move. He would say he'd never felt anything like this in his life, but then again, he'd never met someone like AJ in his life.

Punk pulled all the way back to where his tip was only in, then pushing his hips all the way back into her, slowly but deep as he could get which she seemed to be going crazy over.

"Phil." AJ moaned, she was so far gone from on planet earth, he was numbing the pain of every beating, every curse word, every painful moment she had to live through in her previous relationship, he was taking care of her with his delicate touch and his feathery kisses.

Punk couldn't begin to explain how much he was enjoying this moment, these three months he had fantasised of this moment and finally it was here, she was here, underneath him, taking him into her, showing him all of her, the greatest gift she could ever give.

After endless thrusts, back clawing and moaning, the main goal and reach of the night came.

"Phil… keep going baby." She encouraged, holding his hips as they crashed down faster with each thrust, "I'm so close."

"Me too." He said, kissing down on her lips loudly and pulling away, "Let go baby, that's it…" He encouraged, her muscles tightening to the tightest they could get, his whole body going stiff as AJ shuddered beneath him.

"Phil…" She moaned, "Phil…" Again and again, she moaned his name, her body shaking as he collapsed on her, his head resting against her shoulder as he pulsed inside her, both of them softening and taking deep breaths from their outstanding high.

_A few hours later…_

April lay on top of him, head resting on his warm chest, the sheets and covers over their bodies, ending around Punk's waist. They both were still coming to terms with the night they had just experienced.

AJ had never felt so loved, so treasured before like the way he made her feel. He held her gently, took great care of her, made her whole body feel good, held her after like he… like he loved her. Which was the big question and silence in the room.

Punk was more scared now than he was before they slept together, because never in his life had he experienced such passion, such love for a women, because that's what he did… he loved her, and he was scared that he might one day break her or hurt her or do anything to make her upset, but he loved her and he couldn't ignore that, not even if he tried.

"April…" Punk said, his throat dry from not speaking for a while.

"Yeah?" AJ said, still resting her head on his chest, her head turned with her cheek laying on his it, not looking up to hear him, she just wanted to soak in this moment, lying hear, so intimately bare with each other.

Punk just moistened his lips and took a silent deep breath, she had to know, "I… April, I love you." Punk admitted.

AJ's eyes just popped wide for a minute, but then a smile appeared on her face as she relaxed again, "I love you too Phil." She didn't hesitate, she didn't need to, she loved this man, wither she wanted to or not, she was totally head over heels, in love with this amazing man.

She lifted her head and looked at him, pressing her lips softly and passionately against his.

Punk was so pleased and overwhelmed that she said it back, that she felt the same, knowing that she loved a jerk like him, it was insane yet it felt so good to be loved back. It was about time someone treated her the way she deserved to be treated, like a princess.

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	10. Chapter 10

AJ woke up the next morning, hugging into her pillow lying on her stomach, alone in bed and confused. Surely he didn't get up and leave early, that would have been slightly rude in her view, but just as she sat up in bed, holding the sheets against her body, she heard someone walk in the door, she smiled seeing him walk by the bedroom. Since her house was all on the one level and it was quite small, her bedroom looked on into the living room.

She grabbed a think, silk dressing grown that she barely wore from her wardrobe, wrapping it around her naked body and tying the string around it. She looked in the mirror before she left the room, bumping her hair up and taking the sleep away from her eyes, not wanting Punk to be put off by her morning look, which she was disappointed she didn't get to see his morning hair that he banged on about all the time, she'd see it one day she supposed.

Walking out of the room, she smelt coffee and the muffin she always got when they went for breakfast. Little things like that showed her that he paid attention.

She was still so in love with their moment they shared last night, she was still so in love with last night if she was being honest, everything went so smooth and perfect, like it was meant to be, she was lucky to have such a caring and amazing man like him in her life.

"You're up." Punk smiled, noticing her slowly walk into the kitchen with her arms folded. Even just waking up she looked like an angel, the way her hair was messy but yet looked so good just sprawled out over her face and down her back, and how her face was pale and natural, even though she didn't tend to wear a lot of make up anyway.

"Yeah." AJ smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear and walking over in front of him, taking the coffee from his hand with a smile as she turned and dug into the brown paper bag, Punk behind her smiling to himself.

"How's your leg?" AJ turned to him, leaning against the counter as she devilishly smiled towards him, holding the coffee cup against her mouth to hide the sly smile she was making.

"I think it's a lot better." Punk nodded, looking down at his clearly fine leg, it was still stiff but nothing a week of walking and exercising wouldn't get rid of.

"Good." AJ nodded, "Good." She smiled as she turned back round to face her back to Punk, putting a bit of muffin elegantly in her mouth, feeling two pair of arms wrap themselves around her waist from behind.

"How was last night for you?" He asked curiously, his chin resting on her shoulder as he hugged her from behind. From waking up this morning to her beautiful face, he just had replays of their night before spent together and how perfect it was.

"It was amazing." AJ smiled, leaning her back against his stomach, turning her face to the side and planting a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"You are amazing." Punk smiled as he felt her lips on his cheek.

_Later that day…_

After AJ had to head out to work, Punk left to go see Dean and Seth since he knew it was their day off. He was still having replays of the night before with AJ, the urge to do it all again was coming on strong, but he was sure they'd wind up doing it again somehow.

"Boys." Punk announced as he walked into the apartment door.

"You alright?" Dean nodded, sitting on the sofa watching TV.

"Yeah, where's Seth?" Punk asked, taking an apple from the fruit basket on his way in, eventually sitting down across from Dean, concentrating on his apple.

"I don't even know man. I got up and he was gone, no note or anything." Dean shrugged.

"Is his stuff gone?" Punk raised his eyebrow.

"No." Dean said like he was stupid, "Don't be stupid… I don't know man, he keeps disappearing secretly, I hear him get up during the night sometimes, he's always getting phone calls and walking away to take them." Dean shook his head, looking back and forth from the TV to Punk.

"Maybe he has a girl… just doesn't want to tell us." Punk suggested, which seemed like the case.

"True." Dean nodded at the idea, "But what's the need to hide it from us?" Dean shook his head at Seth's behaviour, "Anyway… how's things going with AJ?" He asked him.

"Good... great." Punk nodded with a smile, "Have you both still not…" Dean waved his hands about.

"We did. Last night." Punk said, wondering why he was having this conversation with Dean.

"Was she good?" Dean raised his eyebrows with a large smile.

"What do you mean was _she _good?" Punk looked at him like he was an idiot, "Nah but seriously man, realest sex I've ever had in my life." Punk leaned back on the chair.

"Yeah, cause all the sex you had before was fake." Dean chuckled.

"Maybe not the sex, but the girls were." Punk said, getting a cushion and throwing it at Dean, hitting him square in the face, "You know what I mean dammit." He said as Dean chuckled to himself, "I told her I loved her."

Dean dropped the cushion as well as his smile, "You did what?" He didn't know if he heard right.

"I told my girlfriend that I love her." Punk said.

"Dude…" Dean shook his head pointing to Punk, "They words fuck up with girls minds, you think you told her you love her? She thinks you told her you want to get married and have a house together and have loads of little ugly punk children."

"Oh shut up, Dean." Punk shook his head, "She isn't like that."

"That's what we all say." Dean said, turning his attention back to the TV.

"Anyway…" Punk said, "Isn't it about time you admit to me how you really feel about Renee?" Punk smiled to Dean , "I see you, spraying on that cologne like there's no tomorrow, buying her flowers, dressing nicer than usual, doing something with that mop of hair on your head." Punk said, fluttering his eyelashes at Dean.

"Shut up." Dean said, laughing as he turned away embarrassed, "I like her. I really like her." He said to himself, "Maybe I love her… but I'm not telling her right now." He said before Punk could say anything, "I'll wait."

"Fine, whatever." Punk shook his head with a laugh, "Don't want to keep her waiting."

_Later that night…_

Punk had enjoyed a quiet night in at his house with AJ, they done their usual DVD night that they hadn't done in a while and AJ ended up staying the night, history repeating itself, but she was certainly not complaining.

About 15 minutes away, Dean had just gone off to bed when he heard Seth creep into the apartment. Ready to attack him like a hawk, he jumped back out of his room and began questioning.

"Where the hell have you been all day?" Dean asked him, there was no easy explanation to be gone from 6am in the morning to 11pm at night.

"I was… I was working." Seth nodded.

"Bullshit… your day off is today." Dean said, he knew this stuff and he knew when Seth was lying, "It's a girl, isn't it?" Dean smiled.

"What?" Seth shook his head.

"You've got a girlfriend, yeah… the leaving all the time, the secret phone calls, you have a girl and you don't want me or Punk to know because you think we'll embarrass you." Dean said, he had sussed everything out, it all made sense.

"I don't have a girlfriend." Seth shook his head, "Wh-Where are you getting this all from?" Seth asked him, both of them standing in the living room.

"Me and Punk worked it out today. It's the only explanation to all of this." Dean said, folding his arms.

"Alright Einstein, just because you two are both hooked on these girls, doesn't mean I have or need to go get one. Ok?" Seth said, trying to make himself clear as Dean just stood, in a foul mood now.

"Alright, so what the fuck is your explanation?" Dean asked.

"I was going to tell you both together, but since you're insisting on knowing… I'm planning to get back on the guys that killed Claire." Seth said, folding his arms and looking at Dean.

"The guys… the guys that were in the gang?" Dean asked as Seth just nodded, "Are you fucking crazy, you're going to kill yourself out there!" Dean screamed.

"You misunderstood me." Seth shook his head, "I'm not going alone… You and Punk are coming with me." Seth said, looking across to Dean who just stared blankly at him.

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	11. Chapter 11

Punk lay in his bed, comfiest and happiest he had ever been, AJ snuggled up to him, both of their bodies touching intimately with nothing to hide under the sheets. He could have laid in bed all day with her, just small talking with her, pressing his hand up against hers, every so often feeling her kiss his chest. It was like their little world that no one knew about.

AJ felt so at peace, like the world was shut out and it was just her and Punk in this moment. She could have stayed in his arms forever.

Just as they were both shutting off to sleep, the clock ticking on to 5am, Punks phone lit up on the side cabinet, vibrating as it rang and caused both of them to jump.

"Sorry." Punk said immediately, reaching for it and seeing that it was Dean calling him.

"Who is it?" AJ asked softly, looking up at him.

"It's just Dean." Punk twitched his nose, declining the call and sitting his phone back on the cabinet.

"Shouldn't you answer it?" AJ asked him, turning her face away from looking up at him, leaning it back on his chest again as he ran his hands up and down her arms, kissing her head.

"I'll see him tomorrow. He can wait." Punk said, he was more focused on enjoying this quiet and peaceful time with AJ before she had to get up and go to work.

_With Dean and Seth…_

"Great, he's not answering." Dean said, throwing his phone on the couch, "We are not doing this, do you understand me?" Dean warned Seth, wanting this crazy idea he had to get out of his mind.

"If you are both my friends, you'll help me with this." Seth said, "We could take them any day."

"Punk is just out of a god damn car crash. I am in no position to suit and boot up again just because you can't let go." Dean pointed to Seth.

"This isn't about me letting go. This is about making those fuckers pay." Seth said with venom.

"It was four years ago man, you have to forget about it." Dean said in a soft tone now.

"I don't care. It could have been 10 years ago. They took away something that I love, an innocent woman's life. I can't live with myself until I know they've paid." Seth said, "I can't do this without you both." He said, knowing he couldn't take their previous thug life on by himself.

"Well I'm sorry Seth, I'm not risking my life again, more importantly I'm not risking my girlfriends, you know what they're like down there, they want to hurt everything we love, they don't want to hurt us… I'm not risking what happened to Claire, to happen to Renee." Dean shook his head, "And I think I speak for Punk to."

"You are officially the most selfish man ever to live." Seth nodded gritting his teeth, "It will take us one god damn night, job done, I have everything planned out."

"And what if that one god damn night blows up in our fucking face? We're screwed." Dean threw his hands up in the air.

"Ambrose." Seth stared at Dean with a demon look, "Please." He begged.

Dean just paced on the one spot. How could Seth ask so much of him and Punk, he just wished Seth could move on with his life, but he knew it was easy for him to say than Seth to do.

"And what if…" Dean looked at Seth, "What if we fuck up… they want to get us back and it's AJ or Renee sitting on that chair with a gun to her temple, that won't be one woman's life we ruined, that will be two, or maybe three… maybe they'll take both of them." Dean said, "Seth, I don't think I can do this." Dean said, his stomach was in knots at the thought. Yes, of course he wanted to help his friend out, but there was just too much to put at stake.

"AJ or Renee won't be harmed. I've planned everything out. I have been for the past four years. We can take them all out. You know we're good Ambrose, better than the majority of the boys, we'll have it all done in a night." Seth said, he knew what he was doing, he of course wouldn't put AJ or Renee in danger.

"I don't know." Dean shook his head, he was so confused on what to do. He knew Punk would not settle for this, not in a million years.

"Just think about it." Seth said, "I'm going to bed." Heading into his room he shut the door over and left Dean in his thoughts.

_Later that night…_

Punk had spent his day sleeping whilst AJ had gone off to work. Finally he got up in the late afternoon and took a shower, made himself something to eat, made himself busy around his house when he remembered Dean had called him during the night.

He walked on over to their apartment. His leg was feeling so much better even after just a few days of the cast being off. He was so glad it was off.

"Dean… next time you call, don't at 5am…" Punk paused as he stepped into their apartment, seeing them both standing up as if waiting for him. Dean was fidgety and Seth looked very demanding standing with his arms folded.

"Alright, who died?" Punk hesitated to walk towards them.

"My girlfriend. Four years ago." Seth retorted, "We need to talk to you."

"Alright…" Punk said, taking his jacket off and throwing it on the table, looking at them both with eager eyes.

"We… I need your help with something." Seth said, "I heard you and Dean were discussing why I'd been leaving a lot, making secret phone calls and stuff… well, I'm planning to get back on the guys who killed Claire. I have been for the past four years." Seth said.

Punk just let a nervous laugh escape him, "What?" He chuckled.

"Dude…" Dean looked at Punk, "He's been serious."

"I've explained to Dean, you two are going to be by my side wither you both like it or not, it'll be a one night job, over and done with." Seth said, looking at Punk trying to comprehend everything, "If you care about me, and want to see me happy. You'll help me out." Seth said.

"Are you being serious right now?" Punk said, "I'm not helping you do anything. I told you, I'm never touching another gun, knife, weapon… I'm not hiding under carts in warehouses, strangling people with ropes from behind, wearing bullet proof vests ever again, I'm not helping you Seth." Punk said, shaking his head.

"It's one night Punk. I have it all planned out, we'll have it done, you two can continue your lives and I can get on with mine. I owe this to Claire, you all owe this to Claire." He looked to Punk and Dean.

"I don't owe anything to anyone." Punk said, "And I'm not trying to be rude, but I'm not risking AJ getting tied to a chair and shot in the head like Claire did." Punk said, recalling horrible memories for all three of them.

"Yeah, well I didn't have that choice. She just got took from me. Look… AJ…" Seth looked at Punk, "Renee…" He looked at Dean, "They won't get hurt, if we follow my plan, we'll have them all took out in a night and we can move on and I can let go, for real." Seth said.

"Seth…" Dean shook his head, "There's a million of them around the states. We're lucky we got out easily." Dean said.

"Oh yeah, cause my girlfriend getting killed was getting out easy." Seth said.

"It was." Punk said, "You heard about guys… guys who had kids, who just got themselves into bad situations and found themselves in the gang, their kids would get took and fucking…" Punk just shook his head, "We are not going back there." He said.

"Do any of us have fucking kids? Look, you guys aren't listening to me, it'll be over in a night, AJ and Renee… they won't be harmed, do you honestly think I would want to put them in danger." Seth said.

"I do actually." Punk said, watching Dean's head shoot up in shock, Seth just backed away and shook his head, "Well how can I not think that Seth? The moment I get a girlfriend, a girl that I'm crazy about, a girl that I'm love with, you want to go back and hunt down the deadliest men in Chicago, where there could be a risk of her getting dragged into it." Punk said, only believing what he was hearing.

"You're insane." Seth said, "I wouldn't wish what I went through to happen to anyone, especially not you two. How could you think so low of me?" Seth said, feeling hurt.

Punk just shrugged and looked at Dean who just stayed silent.

"I don't care what you two do, I'm not getting involved." Punk said, no way was he risking this amazing life he was living with AJ, he wasn't risking it for anything or anyone, he wasn't risking AJ to be in danger, he wouldn't live with himself. He turned on his heel and left out the door, banging it shut behind him, still not believing what Seth was asking of him and Dean.

Dean just stood awkwardly, placing his hands in his jean pockets as he looked at Seth.

"Do you know what… fine." Seth said, "I'll do it myself and if I die, at least I won't be moping around you two any longer." Seth said, pushing past Dean.

"Seth…" Dean sighed as Seth just walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

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	12. Chapter 12

Punk sat in his house, twiddling his thumbs. He couldn't believe Seth was really wanting him and Dean to go through with this, they swore when they got out of the horrible life they lived, they would never go back, that they would go on to find normal jobs, have normal relationships and not take life for granted, they had seen too much.

He couldn't risk it if he even wanted, the thought of AJ getting took, getting hurt, or worse… he just couldn't think about it, he wasn't putting her in danger for his decisions, same went for Renee.

He understood Seth was grieving, but Claire wouldn't want him carrying on like this, she was always against violence, Punk still wondered why she stuck around them for as long as she did, because she loved Seth, that's why.

He didn't even know if he would still have AJ by his side if he was to tell her he was going back to do one last job, she might get scared and run and he couldn't risk all that just so Seth could live out this fantasy he had of killing the men that killed Claire. He just wished Seth could just move on, the way Claire would have wanted him to.

Yet, he wanted his friend to be happy. If that's what it took for Seth to let go, by taking his anger out and making the enemy pay, then maybe he should have just closed his eyes and agreed. Maybe if he didn't have AJ, he would have already agreed.

"Hey." AJ smiled as she walked in the door. They'd become so familiar and serious that they just walked into each other's homes now, which was a nice thing for Punk, it gave him a glimpse of what his future held, AJ walking into their house from work, a house that they shared and bought together.

"Hey." Punk gave her a tired smile, watching her dump her bags and come sit next to him on the couch. He listened to her give a tired sigh as she sat down beside him.

"I'm so tired." She rolled her head back on the couch and closed her eyes, laying her hand on his lap and opening her eyes back up.

She had spent enough time around Punk to realise what type of moods he was in, just by his facial expressions, she knew there was something on his mind bothering him, "What's the matter?" She turned to him, watching him turn round to her.

"Seth." Punk said, looking at her sit up straight, taking his hand in hers.

"Is he ok?" She asked, thinking maybe something had happened to him.

"He's fine." Punk nodded, holding her hand back, "It's just…" He sat up with her, looking into her eyes. He loved her so much, how could he possibly put her near danger.

"Just what?" AJ asked him.

"Just… he thinks that me and Dean are going to join him in getting the guys who killed his girlfriend." Punk said, using the other hand that she wasn't holding to run it over his face.

AJ just took a deep breath and noticed how badly this looked to have affected Punk, he looked mentally frustrated.

"And what's your take on this?" AJ asked him, wanting to know how he felt about Seth's clearly determined mission.

"I don't want to go back there." Punk shook his head as he looked to her, "I don't care if it's for one night, one hour, one week… I still get nightmares about the things I done, the warehouses, the aftermath of things… I can't…" Punk shook his head.

"Shh." AJ soothed him, placing her hand on his shoulder, "You don't need to do anything you don't want to." She told him.

"I want to help him out. I want him to go in life feeling happy, he's my best friend. He says the only way he'll be able to be happy is if the guys that killed her were punished and dead. What am I meant to do?" He looked at her for answers, "What if we mess it up, he says he's planned it for four years, but what if… what if they take you… or Renee… God." Punk took his two hands and buried them in his hair, looking down at the ground to keep his cool.

"Phil… it's alright." She said, "Nothing bad is going to happen." She said, in no means trying to convince him to go and help his friend, she didn't want to have his life at risk but she didn't want to live with him being beside himself for not helping Seth when he reached out for it.

"But what if it does?" Punk said, the pain reflecting on his voice, "What happened to her… that… that can't happen to you." He said firmly, no way… he couldn't go through that.

AJ just looked at him sympathetically, "What happened to her?" AJ asked, she still hadn't been told how Claire died.

Punk just clasped his hands as he leaned over, not looking at her, he couldn't… if he did, he would just picture her, strapped into that chair, blind folded, her life cut out in just a short breath.

"She was shot." Punk said, looking straight on as he reflected on that horrible night. He swore it rained for the full week that week.

"She was just shot?" AJ asked, wanting to know, it would help her paint a picture to what Seth was feeling and if Punk should take into consideration about helping him.

"She eh… we told the boss, we wanted to leave. The next night, Claire went out with her friends, insisted that none of us pick her up, she'd walk home and be fine." Punk shook his head, if only they picked her up, "They took her, somewhere along the lines we found out and they waited until we got there. It was like this damp, old, disgusting warehouse, there was water dripping from the ceiling, the floorboards were half in tact… we got there and she was tied to a chair, blind folded, tape around her mouth." Punk clasped his hands tighter, "We went right for them all, me, Seth and Dean… there was at least 7 of them, we didn't stand a chance… Dean got knocked out for the full time, lucky for him…" Punk said, wishing it was him that got knocked out so he didn't have to sit through the most painful 5 seconds of his life.

AJ, intrigued… watched him as he spoke, she could tell every word he was speaking with hurt and came from deep down.

"They tied Seth to a pole completely opposite of her, two guys kept hold of me at the side, my ribs and neck were busted up, I couldn't move if I wanted to anyway… they told Seth that if we reconsidered leaving the gang, Claire would be untied and given to him, of course he agreed…"

"So why did they kill her then?" AJ asked curiously.

"Because they're scum April." Punk looked at her, "They took the blindfold off her, ripped the tape from her mouth, made it look like they were letting her go after Seth agreed to everything they were asking of him. I thought we'd saved her, I really thought we'd just saved her life. Then someone went over to Seth, held his face in place while the boss shot her right in the head. She died instantly." Punk said, sniffing as he turned round to AJ, "I couldn't live with myself after that… if anything close to that was to happen to you… I'd kill myself right there and then." Punk said.

AJ just looked away from him, processing he painful story and thinking that virtually that could possibly be her or Renee in that chair, she didn't want to think about that, what a painful and heartbreaking way to die.

"How much has Seth got this planned out?" AJ asked, not believing that she was even considering the idea.

"He said he's been planning it for four years. That it will be over in one night and we'll continue with her lives normally after it's done." Punk said.

"And do you believe him?" AJ asked him.

Punk just shrugged, it wasn't a case of believing or not, it was just luck. Something could go horribly wrong while they're down in the centre of Chicago, or everything could go to plan and they could continue their happy lives. It was all a risk that he didn't want to take.

"I can't tell you what to do." AJ said, "He's your friend, he's reaching out for your help. It's up to you wither you want to give him it or not, but whatever it is…" She cupped his cheek, "I'm here and I promise, I'm not going anywhere. Nothing can take me away from you." She said, pressing a kiss on her cheek.

"If we don't go with him, he's that stubborn that he'll go himself and wind up getting killed. I definitely couldn't live with myself after that." Punk said, "He's the youngest out of us, the baby brother…" Punk shook his head at the thought of losing Seth.

"Do what you think is best." She encouraged him.

She did realise that him going back for one night to his previous life didn't look exactly good for her, but she trusted they all knew what they were doing and whenever she needed saving, she could count on Punk to save her, from anything or anyone. It scared her, but Seth was hurting, he wanted revenge, she understood that, he was reaching out for help from his two best friends and as far as she was concerned, the men who killed his girlfriend deserved every beating that Seth was planning for them, there was no excuse to take an innocent woman's life just because she loved a man that had a bad way of living.

Punk just turned to her and pressed his lips against hers out of surprise for AJ, leaning her down on the couch as he tangled his hands in her hair, their tongues battling against one another. She was right, nothing could tear them from each other. Him, Seth and Dean knew what they were doing, they'd get the job done, Seth could live his life knowing that the scum that killed his girlfriend were dead and him and Dean could continue their lives with their new loves.

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	13. Chapter 13

_The next morning…_

Punk woke up the next morning the same way he woke up the previous morning, with AJ cuddled into him. Their conversation from the night before made him realise why he loved her, her sincere care for him, to do whatever he thought was best.

He'd made up his mind. He'd slept on it. His friend needed him, he was reaching out to him for help and even though a lot was on the line, he would help him. He doubted four years of planning and mapping would screw up in their faces. He was counting on Seth to know what he was doing and that their plan was going to work safely.

He planned on going round to Seth and Dean's tonight, to explain to them that he was only doing this because Seth meant a lot to him and their friendship meant a lot to him, not any other reason.

_Later that night…_

Punk thought it would be appropriate for AJ to come round to Seth and Dean's, just to let Seth know that AJ was ok with this, as long as they didn't get hurt.

Punk opened the door, waving his hand out in front of him for AJ to go in first, following her into the apartment and shutting the door over, watching Seth stand up from the couch he was slumping on suddenly, surprised to see not only Punk but AJ as well.

"You two ok?" He asked, things slightly awkward from his and Punks discussion the day before.

"Yeah." Punk said as AJ nodded beside him, "Where's Dean?" Punk asked.

"He's out." Seth said, wondering why Punk had came back.

"I'm eh… going to make myself a coffee. Do you guys want anything?" AJ asked them, feeling like she needed to leave them to talk themselves for a minute.

"No thanks." Seth said politely as Punk just shook his head to her, watching her nod to them both and excuse herself into the kitchen politely.

Seth just folded his arms. Punk made himself pretty clear the other day that he didn't want to be a part of his plan, as much as he asked him to be, he wondered why him and AJ were showing up suddenly out of the blue.

"First of all… I'm sorry for being so harsh yesterday." Punk said, realising his words to Seth may have been a little nasty and harsh from Seth's POV, "I just… you're asking a lot of me and Dean, we have girls in our life that we love, we don't want to see them get hurt… you know how it feels to love someone, better than anyone…" Punk said, watching Seth just nod and look down at the ground.

"So why are you here?" Seth asked him curiously.

"Well…" Punk slid his hands in his pockets, "I talked with AJ, she seemed surprisingly alright with it… you're reaching out for my help, I can't say I know how you feel, cause quite frankly I don't want to know how you feel… but they are scum… they deserve to die and die a slow death and I have no problem in helping you make that a reality." Punk said, watching a faint smile slowly creep on Seth's face.

"I'm not pushing you into anything you don't want to do." Seth said, he didn't want to pressure Punk, he wouldn't do that to his friend.

"As long as you let me see your plan, we have a couple of weeks to prepare, let me get back to the gym, my leg isn't still one hundred percent… you said one night and it'll all be over?" Punk asked him.

"If the plan works, yeah." Seth nodded.

"Then count me in." Punk extended his hand out to Seth, waiting for him to shake it as an agreement.

"Dude… are you sure? Is AJ ok with this?" Seth asked.

"As long as it'll be over quickly and she won't get harmed, she'll be fine." Punk nodded, "Now do you want my help or not?" Punk asked him, waiting for him to shake his hand.

Seth just smiled and shook Punks hand, pulling him in for a brotherly hug. He couldn't thank Punk enough, he knew it was a big challenge to go back to their old life after four years, even if it was just for one night, and he also knew Punk would have AJ on his mind all of the time.

"Thank you." Seth whispered to Punk as he hugged him, being truly thankful for his input, it wouldn't be the same if it was just him and Dean, they came in a pack, all three of them.

AJ walked in just in time to find Punk and Seth hugging, she didn't want to see them fight, so it was nice to see them being civil and thinking on the same page.

_Later that night…_

"I don't want you getting hurt." AJ said, lying in her bed with Punk, trailing her finger along his tattoos on his chest. Even though she was agreeing to this, which she still couldn't believe why, she was still scared for Punk's health, he'd just got out of a car crash.

"I have my sexy nurse to take care of me when I get home." Punk said, hearing her giggle below him as his arm snaked around her, "I'll be fine." He said, being more serious, trying to keep her at ease.

"I don't even know why I'm agreeing to this." She shook her head with a chuckle, "I suppose it will help Seth, help him to move on." AJ said.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, that really was the only reason that he was helping his friend out, to help him move on and feel like he had done his duty, to see him move on and live the rest of his life happy and not in the shadow of this horrible nightmare.

"I just don't want you hurt, Phil." She looked up at him being serious, "I don't think I can lose you." She said, quickly looking down to hide her glossy eyes.

"Hey… you aren't going to lose me." Punk tutted, "No way… I'll see you in the morning before we go and the moment I get back home." He said, "I promise you April." He said, looking down at her with a serious trustworthy face.

AJ just nodded, being put at ease… for now. "So… when is it you are planning to go?" She asked him, continuing to trace his tattoo's, creating goose bumps all over his body.

"In a few weeks I guess… I asked Seth to wait off a while until I get back to the gym, get my leg stronger." Punk said, feeling her nod against him.

"Just… Just don't leave me… I've finally found something good in life, I don't want to lose you." She said.

"April… look at me." Punk said, watching her slowly turn her head up to look at him, which was still lying on his chest, "I am not leaving you. You are my world… I didn't think I could find anyone like you, ever. I'm not going to do anything to risk losing you or never seeing you again. We're good at this, we done it for several years, we know what we're doing… professionals if you like…" He smiled, "Don't worry baby." He said, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss on her lips.

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**Just a little filler chapter before things start to get good. Thanks for all the REVIEWS! Love reading and seeing all your support, thank you! Enjoy this chapter and enjoy RAW. **


	14. Chapter 14

Throughout the next few weeks Punk had gone back to work, unfortunately for his sake, and he had also got back to the gym to strengthen himself back up, even though he'd been active, walking, doing the exercises the hospital gave him, being active with AJ a few nights every week, he was still pretty weak, his body needed to get back into its normal shape again, which of course wasn't too muscly.

Because he was back to getting normal pay now from his job and not just sick pay, he was affording to take AJ out for dinner every weekend, just to show how much he loved her and loved spending time with her, there wasn't a moment that went by where he didn't think about her, when he was lying in bed after she left for work, or if he was working and she was in at home herself. If he wasn't with her, he was thinking about being with her.

He could still tell there was a fear lingering around her, she was obviously going to be scared, she understood that, but nothing was going to power him through getting these guys that they were looking for, than the thought of going home to her beautiful face. She didn't have to worry, he didn't often make promises, he didn't find people worthy enough to keep promises for them, but she was worthy alright. He promised to her he would be fine, and he would be.

It was now the weekend which he thankfully had off and he was planning to take AJ out later on when she got home from work. They were planning to get the job done on Monday. Once Dean found out that Punk was agreeing to Seth's mission, he found himself being persuaded by both of them. Four years of planning was sure to go to plan. He talked it through with Renee, she wasn't happy but it seemed like it was a one night job that could be forgotten about, and Dean explained to her that if they done it, they would be doing it for Seth, to help him move on and let go of Claire after getting revenge, she understood that, both AJ and Renee understood that.

"How's work been?" AJ asked Punk, after being seated in a restaurant, in the middle of taking her cardigan off.

"Alright, I guess." Punk said, shimmying into the table with his chair, "I mean… it's nice to be doing something with myself again, it's also helping the strength get back in my leg." Punk said, smiling to AJ as he watched her brush her hair behind her, the soft brown locks falling behind her back as she smiled back to him.

"Why do you look at me like that?" AJ whispered, looking at him. He always looked straight at her, his eyes bold and a tiny smirked smile on his face when they were out for dinner.

"No reason." Punk shook his head.

The night spiralled on and before they both knew it, they were back home in AJ's house. Punk sat on the couch with AJ in between his legs, lying comfortably and running his hands up and down AJ's soft arms.

"I could stay with you like this forever." Punk whispered in her ear, watching her smile and take hold of his hand, holding it in hers tightly and holding it against her cheek, leaning into it with a smile.

Punk started to stiffen when he felt her kiss his hand, making them long and hot, kissing up his hand and arm. He knew where this was leading.

AJ turned round on her knees and crawled towards Punk like a cat, placing each leg at either side of him and pressing her lips down against his, grinding her hips slowly and sensually against his centre, feeling him sit up, his hands circling round her back and round her below.

"This might be the last time I touch you." AJ said against his lips the best she could, painfully kissing his lips as he tried to speak.

"Don't be stupid." He whispered quietly back to her, pressing his lips back against hers, clawing his hands up the back of her t-shirt.

AJ couldn't help feel that this could possibly be the last time she touched Punk or felt him, she was working late tomorrow night and would probably see him on Monday morning for a few minutes before he left, she'd reassured herself for the past few weeks that he would be fine and that he'd come home, kiss her on the lips and get back on with their life, but as time slowly crept by, she felt her chances were slimming down, she'd painted horrible pictures in her head, all three of them, Dean, Seth, Punk… all lying in a cold warehouse, the last thing they seen before dying being the cracked open ceiling. She couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen to her if she found out Punk had been killed, she'd known this man for 5 months now and these five months had been the best five months of her life, he treated her like a princess, something she had never ever been used to, he put her first, took her out nice places, complimented her every hour of every day, told her he loved her every day, no other man could come close to him and she was scared she might lose him.

_Monday…_

"Text me… and um, you know…" AJ fidgeted around with her hands as she spoke to Punk on Monday morning, Dean and Seth outside in the car waiting, "I love you…"

"You've said that." Punk smiled to her, watching her hit his arm, not even bothered by her small hit to him.

"Just, be careful ok." AJ said, pulling him in for a hug, feeling him bury his face into her neck, holding her tightly for one last minute.

Punk didn't know why she was getting all worried, they'd all seen Seth's plan, it was a pretty well thought plan, she didn't have to worry, he would be back later on in the night, he assumed she would stay up and wait, he couldn't get wait to get home and kiss her already.

"I love you." Punk smiled as he pulled away from her, cupping her cheeks and pressing his lips against hers softly and slowly, hearing the car horn beep outside, Dean and Seth were clearly being impatient.

"See you tonight." AJ smiled as Punk nodded.

"See you tonight." Punk agreed, turning heel towards the door, the image of her beautiful face in his mind, the determination to get through today was her picture in his head. He walked out the door and shut it behind him, getting into the car quickly, putting his seat belt on in the back seat where Dean sat to. The first thing he done now when he got into cars was put his seat belt on, he was too scarred not to.

"What were you doing in there? Fucking her?" Dean asked, been waiting outside on Punk for at least half an hour.

"Just drive." Punk said, "I want to get this over and done with, so we can all move on." He looked to Dean who nodded, and to Seth in his rear view mirror, smiling back at him with a nod as he pulled away from the house, driving off on route to put Seth's plan into action.

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	15. Chapter 15

A twist to the neck. He hadn't lost it. Not one single bit. He had to admit, it almost felt good, the adrenalin that got him involved with the dirty work in the past, he still despised it, but it felt good to be back for one night only and it felt amazing to get back at the scum who hurt Claire and took her life. Their plan was half way through process, taking out every man who came into their sight, retribution being so sweet.

"Get down." Punk pulled Seth down with him behind a cargo box on the ground after hearing movement towards them, he hadn't lost his quick movement.

They were in the same warehouse where Claire was killed, which was a little hard for Seth to come to terms with, but he got through it.

Dean was off round the other side of the warehouse, Punk and Seth both knew Dean was a mad man when it came to killing and fighting, he would be fine taking out the quiet side by himself.

Not wanting to make their presence known just yet, they kept to neck twisting, stabbing and suffocating, defence that didn't need to make noise.

Punk kept Seth quiet while they crouched behind the box, waiting for the sorry man who was next in their path, as soon as he was in sight, Punk pulled his ankles down, the man's head crashing off the ground as Seth took over and grabbed his knife out, both of them moving on to the next hurdle in Seth's plan.

Yeah, it didn't look good that they were killing all these men, some who were husbands, maybe fathers, but it wasn't like that when they decided to take part in killing Seth's girlfriend who Punk probably guessed would be his wife one day and the mother of his kids.

"You get Dean, I'll get downstairs. I think we've cleared them out up here." Punk whispered to Seth as Seth nodded to him. He could tell Seth was enjoying this so much, the facial expressions he made whenever his knife went through someone, especially the people he recognised from four years ago.

Seth tip toed off around to get Dean while Punk headed on down the shabby floorboards, reaching for the stairs as he felt a presence behind him, suddenly feeling his balance slip and gravity lose him as he tumbled head first downstairs, grumbling as he landed at the bottom, reaching for the gun that had dropped out his pocket, feeling someone step on his hand as he went to reach for it, pretty sure he had a concussion from the light headed he was feeling, the exact same feeling he felt after the crash he was in not too long ago.

He looked up, every hair standing up on his body, quickly pulling his former boss by the ankles as he went crashing to the floor. He wasted no time in getting tore into him, his full body weight on him as he put up punches and punches. What a fool, he thought. His former boss was trying to pick a fight without any back up. They'd took out the full warehouse now, it was just him, idiot.

Punk felt two grips rip him away from their former boss, turning around Punk was ready to attack but realised it was just Seth and Dean and that they were both ok. Dean had a few cuts and bruises and Seth didn't have one scratch on him, Punk on the other hand was battling a severe concussion.

"Where are your boys now?" Seth asked their former boss who was writhing in pain below them, all three of them standing above him, Seth in the middle and Punk and Dean on the outside.

Their former boss, the dirtiest man in all Chicago, Carl Richardson. A lifeless, walking piece of shit in all three of their eyes. He was scrawny, yellow and always looked like he was out his face on drugs or alcohol, sometimes both. How they wound up working for him, they never understood.

"Come back for a job?" Carl laughed as he got to his feet, dusting himself off as he stood face on with three of his former workers.

"Somebodies going to die tonight, Carl." Dean looked at him with a crazy face, the same exact words that Carl told them three before Claire was took, they never thought in a million years it would be her.

"Who?" Carl played them, "Please, share… but first, how have you all been? Seth Rollins… Dean Ambrose… and dear old Phil Brooks… you all look fantastic." He folded his arms.

"And you still look like a piece of shit." Seth gritted his teeth.

"C'mon Seth, let's just let bygones be bygones… it's been four years, dear old Claire wouldn't want this. She hated violence." Carl smiled to Seth.

"You son of a bitch." Seth went for him, but Dean and Punk pulled him back for a minute, to let Carl say his final piece before his time ran out.

"It's a shame for you." Punk said, "I've gotten to a point where I don't even dislike you, I don't hate you, I just feel sorry for you." Punk shrugged to Carl, "How are we? We're great, we have great lives now, we have proper jobs and we are living it up the right way, rather being stuck in this shithole working for you." Punk said.

"Brooks, c'mon… we used to get along great." Carl put his hands in the air.

"That was until you shot my buddies girlfriend in the head, pal." Punk looked at him.

"You all won't let that go, will you?" Carl looked at them all looking venomously at him.

"Not until you're buried six feet under." Dean added, watching Carl tut and smile.

"Boys, boys boys boys… let's just forget this ever happened… I tell you what, I'll forget about you taking out all of my men tonight, and you can all forget about me taking your beloved Claire's life." He said, looking at Seth in particular.

Punk went to speak when a gunshot came from behind him, Carl falling to the ground in front of them, the tatted white shirt he was wearing soaking into the blood from his chest.

Dean and Punk both looked to Seth in between them who was holding a gun out with a smile.

Seth just threw the gun down and sank down to his knees, relaxing his shoulders down as he closed his eyes and smiled to himself. Finally.

Punk went over and sat down on a half broken seat, holding his head and trying to make himself stay awake, not wanting to go into a knocked out concussion sleep.

Dean stood and smiled himself, mission complete. He assumed that Seth would have wanted to torture until he was begging and pleading, but then he just realised he wanted Carl dead on the spot.

Punk watched as Seth took Carl's pulse, seeing him smiling he assumed he was dead. Mission complete and over. Now it was time to go home to AJ and have her help him rest from his bruising cuts and concussions.

_Later that night…_

The drive home was happy and full of laughter and smiles, especially from Seth which Punk and Dean were both loving to see, they made a quick pit stop at a 24 hour shopping centre. Dean was bursting for the toilet and Seth was hungry, so Punk got out with them and scouted around the centre which was empty. He of course was thinking of AJ the full time, wondering what he could take home with him for her, not feeling it appropriate yet to go out and buy her lingerie for his own pleasure.

He knew she wasn't big on wearing dresses, but he found almost the perfect one for her. So simple yet would look beautiful on her and compliment every feature she had. He needed to buy her it.

Once he met back up with Dean and Seth who were both happy, Seth because he had fed himself and Dean because he had let the toilet go he had been needing for the past hour of driving.

"What's in the bag?" Dean asked Punk as they walked out of the centre.

"None of your business." Punk turned his nose up at Dean who just made a funny face at him, thinking he wouldn't notice when of course he would.

"I just want to thank you guys." Seth hit out with as both Punk and Dean turned to him as they headed into the parking lott to get into their car, "I couldn't have done this without you guys and you have no idea how much dead weight has been lifted from my shoulders now. I haven't been the easiest guy to live with for four years, but you guys are madly in love with these awesome chicks now, you'll understand what it would feel like to have them ripped away from you so violently. I can go on now, hell maybe I'll even start dating again, she's always with me… just can't see her." Seth said, smiling to both of them who just gave him a sweet smile, Seth swore he could see a tear blink away in Dean's eye.

"I love you man." Dean said with an emotional crackle in his voice, stopping and hugging Seth brotherly, patting him hard on the back as Punk smiled.

"And I love you too." Dean moved along and hugged Punk tightly who just laughed and hugged Dean back.

"Ahh, group hug…" Punk pulled Seth in as they all hugged it out in an empty parking lott.

"Alright…" Seth repeated as he wangled his way out of the intoxicating hug with his two best friends, "I love you guys but c'mon… there's CCTV camera's in here, don't embarrass me." He laughed as they started to walk again to their car, "Let's go get home to these two lucky women." Seth winked to both of them.

"Let's go get Seth a girlfriend." Punk winked to Seth.

"Woo!" Dean shouted, the sound echoing round the parking lott building, "Let's go get Seth a girlfriend!" He shouted, running on to the car as Punk and Seth's laughter echoed through the building. It was time like this where Punk was thankful for the amazing friends he had, yeah, they were pain in the necks, but he loved them regardless and now that their mission and Seth's plan was over with, he could focus on his job, his friends and most importantly, AJ.

_Later that night…_

It was round about 2am when Punk stepped out his car from driving to AJ's, the bag with the dress he had bought her in his hand, looking up as he walked up the steps to the door, seeing her light was still on.

He knocked at the door, getting an instant answer as she swung the door open and swaddled him, pulling him into the house out from the cold and hugging him tightly.

She had been worried sick all day, she could barely do a thing right a work and when she got home all she done was sit on the couch and watch the clock, she was so glad he was home and to her surprise safe and healthy looking.

"Thank god you're ok." She whispered into his ear.

"I told you I would be." Punk said, "I eh… picked something up for you on the way home." He smiled as they walked into the warm living room.

"You didn't have to." AJ blushed as she politely took the bag from him and pecked him on the lips. She felt like she hadn't seen him in a year and this was her finally getting to see him. It was a bizarre feeling when he had only been gone for a full day, she was just glad he was safe and back home.

She sat down with him on the couch, noticing in the light that he had a few bruises and scratches, but nothing too serious, she didn't want to make a big deal about it, she knew he hated it, she was more interested to see what kind gesture he had bought her.

Opening the bag she seen it was a piece of clothing and took it out slowly, looking at the black dress that she actually surprisingly liked.

"I know you don't like dresses, or anything along the lines to that… but I saw it and thought you would suit it. If you don't like it, it's fine…"

"I love it…" AJ smiled as she held it out in front of her, "It's beautiful…"

"You're beautiful." Punk smiled to her, watching her turn round to him and smile sweetly.

"I love it, Punk." AJ smiled, looking back to the dress that wasn't just a dress to her, but it was a symbol that he wanted to go out and buy her things, spoil her, showcase how much he loved her, and it was a plus that the dress was pretty damn beautiful and that she actually seen herself wearing it.

Punk took it from her and folded it up neatly, sitting it on the coffee table as he wanted her attention now. He tilted her chin up and kissed her sweetly on the lips, feeling her hands cup his cheeks as he picked her up so easily like a feather, her legs tangled around him as he walked to the bedroom, shutting the door and world out behind him.

Most people when they found a warehouse of dead bodies would like to know who had caused this upset, but no one cared about low life scum like gangsters, not even the cops, that wasn't what they needed to worry about. Punk's life was care free at the moment, gorgeous girlfriend, a job that was alright pay and cope able to do and two best friends, one in which had a pretty girlfriend aswell and another who he respected like hell for being so strong these years and finally moving on. Everything was perfect and it was about time his life became something worth living.

**Yay! All safe & back home. I imagined the dress that Punk bought was the black one that AJ wore for the Slammy Awards photo-shoot, but you can picture whatever you want to. Thank you for all the amazing REVIEWS, love them all… they keep me writing so thank you, much appreciated. No updates unfortunately until Sunday, I'm out of the country for two days and won't have laptop access, but I'm sure you'll all live. Hope you enjoyed and everyone has a lovely weekend!**

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	16. Chapter 16

A few weeks had gone by and AJ and Punk were back into their normal routine, both working, spending their nights or days off together, crashing at each other's house, doing what normal couples done. Punk had been invited to a party at the weekend, it was one of his, Dean and Seth's other buddy from work, he was turning thirty and was having party, so Punk obviously invited AJ along to it, he figured it was a perfect time for her to wear the dress he had bought her.

"Could it be any colder outside?" AJ asked as she stepped into Punk's house, they'd gotten past the knocking stage now and could both freely walk into one another's house's, the next step she assumed was being given a key to his house, but she wouldn't ask him, she'd wait for him to decide when that would be appropriate.

"I've got you a coffee here." Punk announced from the couch, sitting in his sweats and a t-shirt, the TV on in the background. He always knew the exact minute that AJ would arrive to his house during the week, since it was coming into the bitter cold winter in Chicago, he was having her a coffee ready for her everytime she arrived, he liked to consider he was a rather nice boyfriend, but she deserved little gestures and treatments like that.

"Thank you." AJ smiled, taking all her layers of clothes off including her scarf, gloves, coat and shoes, placing them over at the radiator and joining Punk on the couch, picking her coffee up and holding it in her arms at first just for a heat, but eventually taking sips every few minutes.

"Good day at work?" Punk asked her, his arm sliding around her as she rested her body into him.

"Nothing from the ordinary." AJ said, "I asked for the weekend off." She said.

"Did you get it?" Punk asked her, hoping she had got it off like he had so they could enjoy the part on Saturday and also spend all day Sunday together.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, not remembering the last time she had the weekend off. "What are we planning on doing on Sunday?" She asked him.

"I don't know. Whatever you want to do." Punk gave her a tired smile.

"We always do what I want to do, Phil." AJ said, looking up at him, she was telling the truth, everything they done revolved around her, but it wasn't because she liked doing everything her way, it was because Punk was such a gentleman that he done whatever she was wanting or interested in doing, "What do you want to do?" She asked him.

"Do you know what I'd love to do? I'd love to wake up in the morning while you're still sleeping…" He started while stroking strands of her hair, "Get us breakfast, bring it back to you, get back into bed with you whilst watching boring old Christmas movies for the rest of the day, only leaving the bed if we need the toilet. That's what I want to do." Punk said, it may have sounded boring, but he really just wanted a day to lie in, be lazy, cuddle, watch cringe worthy movies that he secretly liked at this time of year and enjoy some time with his girlfriend.

"Then we'll do that." AJ smiled, loving the idea and reaching up to kiss his cheek.

_Saturday…_

AJ was surprised at how well the night was going. She hated parties with a passion but she didn't seem to be needing to interact with anyone, her, Punk, Dean, Renee and Seth were all tucked away in the corner of the hall were the party was taken place, chatting amongst themselves.

Punk couldn't stop staring at AJ, she looked stunning, the only women his eyes were on tonight, any night for that matter. She had worn the dress he got her and without it looking too fancy the way AJ hated, it suited her so well and almost put a glisten in her eye.

"You look beautiful." Punk whispered in her ear, his hand resting on her lap.

"Thank you." AJ smiled, "You scrub up well yourself." She said. She had to admit, seeing Punk, Dean and Seth all in shirts instead of the normal t-shirts they would wear, it was nice and she felt like they were of some high class wealth, even though they were far from it.

"What'd you say we go home early?" Punk whispered to her as he watched her giggle into herself.

"Why would you want to go home early?" AJ looked up at him innocently.

Punk just smiled and ran his hands through his hair, "I know I told you the dress looks stunning and you look beautiful, but I'd much rather have the dress off and…" Punk looked around, "I don't think I want you to take it off here with everyone watching." He whispered quietly to her.

"Oh…" AJ nodded understanding. "Whatever you want." AJ looked up to him with a wink.

_Later that night…_

"Yeah…" Punk nodded, his breathing heavy still and his arm wrapped around AJ as they lay in bed, "Definitely prefer the dress off." Punk grinned to himself, their bodies tangled in amongst the thin sheets that weren't even needed from the extremely heated room, using them just for coverage.

"So…" AJ said, her head resting on his beating chest as she trailed her fingers lightly up and down his chest, a thing she done a lot while lying with him in bed, "What's next?" She looked up at him, she felt like their relationship was staying in the same tier that it had been for the past few weeks, they had nearly been dating for seven months, what was next for them?

"What's next for what?" Punk asked her, a little confused with her question.

"For us." AJ said.

Punk just stiffened, what was she expecting him to say, "Well… you know…" Punk gave off an awkward vibe.

AJ sat up, swinging her legs out of the bed as she sat on the edge of her side, the sheets covering her front as she hold them close to her, her bare back facing Punk.

"What do you want in life?" She asked him, not turning round to him yet, she'd been beginning to think these few weeks that Punk wasn't really interested in her that much, she knew he loved her but did he really want to spend his life with her, surely he would get fed up.

"I want you, AJ." Punk said, shimmying over on his side and kissing her shoulder.

"For how long?" AJ mumbled.

"Forever." Punk said, not knowing where all of this was coming from, she knew he loved her with everything he had, he'd never loved someone as much as he loved her, "Where's all this coming from?" He asked out of curiosity.

"I'm just scared, that's all." She hugged her arms insecurely.

"Scared of what?" Punk asked her.

"Everything." AJ turned to him and chuckled nervously, "I eh…" Her stomach was turning inside itself as she looked at his concerned features, "I'm late." She looked at him, so sincere and genuine, scared and frightened.

"Late?" Punk acted like he had no clue.

"My period." AJ looked at him, "I haven't taken a test or anything… I just, I just thought you should know." AJ looked at him with guilt.

She never missed a period nor did she ever take one late. She knew her own body, things were happening, things that she didn't want to but they would be anyway. She was afraid of what he might think, would he run the first chance he got, would he stick by her if she was indeed carrying a child.

"You think you're pregnant?" Punk asked her, finding it hard to ask that question, knowing that if she was, it would be his baby.

"Yeah." AJ nodded quietly as she looked down. She was a nurse, she knew things, she could tell different things were going on in her body and not to mention the sex they just had there felt way better than what they had a few weeks ago.

Punk sat up on his side of the bed and took a silent deep breath, if she heard him she would have panicked and assumed he was scared which he couldn't be, not when she was already scared enough.

He done what any normal, loving boyfriend would do. He got his clothes on and figured he would go to a 24 hour chemist nearby and buy a pregnancy test, it could have been just a false alarm.

"Where are you going?" AJ asked quickly, seeing he had put clothes on and was in the middle of tying his shoe laces.

"I'm going out to get a test." Punk told her calmly, his heart jumping out of his body secretly.

He watched her nod and press the sheets to her body even tighter, hiding her face away from him as if she was ashamed that there was a possible chance of her being pregnant, like it was all down to her when really, it was probably his fault, he knew the outcome of unprotected sex, he chose to ignore it, not her.

"Hey…" Punk said, walking round to her and crouching down, looking at her with a smile, "Everything will be ok." He nodded reassuringly, "Don't worry." He tried the tear that rolled down her eye with the pad of his thumb, "I'll be back soon." He said, kissing her head and heading out of the stuffy room, straight out of the front of the door where he gasped at the cold air finally hitting him.

He couldn't have been more terrified than what he was right now. He walked into his car and sat in the driving seat, resting his head on the steering wheel as he took deep breaths and spoke to himself, reassuring himself that it would just be a false alarm, she couldn't be carrying his baby, his first child… they'd only been dating 7 months, they weren't prepared for this, no couple is prepared to be parents, no matter how long they've been together. His hands were shaken as he placed them on the steering wheel to start the engine.

_A little while later…_

AJ had got up and put some clothes on for comfort, sitting at the end of the bed twiddling her thumbs and looking down at her stomach every so often. She wasn't prepared to be a mom, she was barely prepared to be a girlfriend again after her previous relationship, she didn't know anything about raising babies, she was pretty sure Punk didn't either.

Speaking of Punk, she had just heard the door go with him walking into the room with a plastic bag and what she only assumed was the test inside it.

"Do you… want me to come in with you?" Punk asked her as he handed her the bag, watching her walk towards the toilet.

"You want to watch me pee on a stick?" She raised her eyebrows at him.

"No." Punk shook his head quickly, "No, no I don't." He said, not realising that's what you done, he didn't know, he didn't exactly need to take pregnancy tests. "I'll wait out here." He said, sitting down on the bed, facing the toilet door as she shut it over behind her when she walked in.

Punk listened to her tearing open the box and doing what she had to do. Since there was three in the box, he assumed she done all three.

AJ left all three tests in the sink and came back out, sitting down beside him on the bed, "Five minutes." She said, looking up at him. Every inch of colour had drained from him, his tattoo's on his arms looked faded and white and he looked like he was about to throw up in a minute, she knew he was fighting the urge to show it though, she could only sense it from knowing him for so long and knowing what he was like.

Punk just took her hand in his and held it tightly as each dragging second passed by. This was perhaps the most anticipated, life changing, terrifying 5 minutes of his life and he was praying to god that whatever happens, he'd still have AJ, with child or not.

The slow five minutes had gone by and AJ didn't think she could stand up and look at it herself, "Can you… look at them." She asked him as he nodded and nervously stood up, their hands detaching as he rubbed his sweaty palms together.

Punk walked into the toilet without hesitation, trying to show AJ that he wasn't scared about this. Secretly dying inside.

He leaned over the sink and took a good look at the three tests which all showed up the same result. He then walked back to the bed and sat down beside AJ who looked at him for the answer.

Sitting his hand softly on her lap he spoke, "You're pregnant." He looked at her, her face as white as a ghost when he spoke they two words that she didn't want to hear, words that she didn't need to hear at this point in her relationship with him.

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**Let's see what happens from there! Thanks for all the REVIEWS, keep them coming.**


	17. Chapter 17

"How could we have been so stupid?" AJ looked at him, a lump forming in her throat, not knowing if she wanted to cry or get angry at him, this wasn't all his fault she supposed.

"I'm sorry…" Punk shook his head, both of them still sitting at the side of the bed, trying to comprehend how serious this problem they had found themselves in was. Punk felt this was all his fault, if he'd only got protection instead of giving into his sexual urges, they wouldn't be in this mess, but then again, she didn't complain whenever he didn't have protection.

"This isn't your fault. It's a two way street." AJ said, placing her hand on his lap comfortingly, not having him take all the blame.

"What are we going to do?" Punk looked at her like a scared little boy. In his mind, he wasn't in his thirties with a job and a home and money, he was a scared little boy who had no idea how to be a father.

"I don't know." AJ shrugged.

Punk had to ask, even though he knew the answer already, well he hoped he knew the answer, "Are you keeping it?" He asked, watching her look at him with such venom in her eyes.

"Of course I am. Why would you even ask…" AJ shook her head and looked away from him.

"I wasn't suggesting you did. I was just asking." Punk said in defence, he wouldn't get rid of his own child, his first born, just because he was a little scared.

"I have no idea how to do this." AJ looked at him, she always looked at him for answers but this time she didn't think he had any.

"Neither do I." Punk admitted, "We'll get through it though… won't we?" Punk asked her, hoping she would say yes.

"Yeah." AJ nodded to him, "It'll be hard but I'm sure we will be able to do it." AJ said, with as much confidence as she could find. She knew this would mean that she would move in with Punk, that there would be pressure on him now to marry her, that he would maybe have to increase shifts at work when she went on maternity leave, that he wouldn't get to see his friends as much as he'd like to, and that he'd have to pick up a skill that no one was ever perfect at, being a father. This was going to be one hell of a ride, but having a baby with him wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Yeah they were barely a year dating, they both had no clue about parenting, but they loved each other and they were both pretty sure they could give that love to a gorgeous baby girl or boy.

_The next day…_

"Dude what?!" Dean shrieked as he jumped off the couch in his and Seth's apartment, facing Punk who had just broke the news about the baby.

"She's pregnant?" Seth asked Punk to repeat again.

"Yes." Punk nodded, "Yes, I know… ok, I don't need a lecture. I know how to use a condom, these things... they happen, AJ believes everything happens for a reason so maybe this did. I don't know." Punk shrugged.

"Yeah, everything happens for a reason, aka… forgetting to use a fucking condom." Dean said, "You're a fucking idiot." Dean shook his head, he didn't want to have a screaming baby around all the time and worst of all, he didn't want to be a nanny which he knew him and Seth would be at some point in the kids life.

"Cut him some slack." Seth nudged Dean, watching Punk just staring at the ground, Dean not helping the situation any more. "These things do happen, to lots of people… I'm sure whatever happens, the kid will be just as mad as his dad and uncles, we should be celebrating this not shouting at him, we aren't his parents." Seth said, specifically talking to Dean who was just grumbling under his breath.

"Thanks." Punk nodded to Seth.

"How's AJ feeling about this?" Dean asked curiously.

"Well…" Punk rubbed the back of his neck, "She's ok, she was upset last night, but nothing to terrible. It's still early days, so keep it on the down low, everyone knows pregnancies always don't go to plan." Punk said, asking for their word not to tell anyone, not that they had folk to tell.

"We won't say anything." Seth shook his head, "Give AJ a hug from both of us." Seth suggested, him and Dean had really gotten to know what AJ was like as a person, she was quiet, shy, polite, minded her own business, they knew it would be a little hard for her to deal with being pregnant with a man who she'd only known for 7 months, but they seemed to love each other from their perspective, there was nothing standing in their way.

"I will." Punk smiled, appreciative of their concern and support for not just him but AJ as well, after all… he wasn't the one going to be carrying the baby for nine months then pushing it out.

Punk soon headed back home to where AJ was in bed with the TV on, empty sweetie wrappers beside her and a cup of coffee on the bedside cabinet.

"How you feeling?" Punk asked her. When he left she was throwing up in the toilet continuously, he didn't leave of course until she was back in bed and her stomach was emptied of the contents from the previous night.

"A bit better." AJ replied with a small smile, "How'd it go with Dean and Seth?" She asked, wanting to know how the soon to be uncles had taken the surprising and shocking news.

"They were ok, Dean was a little iffy at the start, but they got over it. They both said I've to give you a hug on behalf of them." Punk said, making his way round to her bedside and sitting on the edge, wrapping his arms around her as she held on to him tightly and willingly, feeling safe and protected in his arms.

Punk pulled back after a few minutes of embracing her, walking round to his side of the bed and kicking his shoes off, "I got the day off tomorrow and managed to phone Renee to get you the day off to." Punk said, feeling like him and AJ needed another day to process in their heads and talk about what was going to happen for their future and for their baby.

"Thank you." AJ smiled, she didn't think she would be able to have went to work tomorrow anyway, especially working in a hospital and passing the maternity ward every few hours, seeing and hearing all the new born babies, she didn't think she could do that.

Punk lay down on his side of the bed, turning to face her and watching her pay attention to the TV in the corner of the room, he could already see that her hand was placed on her stomach, either for protection or to assure herself.

"What are we going to do?" AJ asked him, turning to face him, seeing he was already staring at her.

"Honestly…" Punk said, "I don't know." He said, knowing she deserved the truth, he wasn't going to tell her that they were going to have this fantasy land, a castle, a white wedding, children and a happy life, because he knew that wouldn't happen, "I've never done this before. I'm scared, I'm confused, I'm not sure what to do or what to say, I feel awkward, I feel like it's my fault, however…"

"Phil… it isn't your fault, if you don't want to do this, if you don't want this baby…"

"I wasn't finished…" Punk said, "However…" He repeated again, "I know I love you, I know it's you that I want to spend my life with and a baby isn't going to change my feelings for you. I know this isn't going to be a fun ride, we're bound to fall flat on our faces at some points, I don't know how to be a father, I've never seen what one looks like, but I'm willing to give it a try if you are." Punk said, looking to her for an answer, he wasn't going to tell her what to do, it was her body, she was the one that would be sacrificing the most, but he was letting her know that whatever her decision was, to have the baby or not, to let him be a part of its life or not, he would always love her.

"I'm just scared." AJ shrugged, "We're…" She fumbled around with her hands, "We're too damaged to be parents." She looked at him.

Punk just looked at her, a dagger sent straight through his heart, but yet she spoke the truth, what did a former gangster member, loner, uneducated, low life scum like him know about raising a baby, and what did a beat up, homeless, parentless girl from New Jersey know about being a mother.

"So what are you saying… you don't want the baby?" He asked her, it hitting him like a ton of bricks that this was actually his child that was on the line here, not just hers, just because it was growing within her didn't mean it was any less of his decision to make.

"I do…" AJ nodded, "I know that we can give this baby all the love in the world, I know you can." She looked at him with a positive nod, "But can we do this financially, can I afford to go off work to have the baby? Do we have enough room here for me and the baby? I'm just scared that us jumping into this so quickly is going to drive us apart just as quick." She said.

"I mean… I can work over time, I'll not see you as much but I can do it. There's plenty room here for you and the baby, just switch the spare room into the baby's room and hey presto… we can do this, AJ." Punk said, the more and more he spoke about it, the more and more he wanted their baby.

AJ could see the want in his eyes now, being taken over by the panic and unknown there was when they first found out last night. She just wanted to make sure that having the baby would be the right thing for them and that it wouldn't damage the love and bond they had together as a couple, she didn't want that, but she couldn't hide it either, imagining having a little baby to love and hold, not only that but sharing that experience with him, a man who completely swept her off her feet the minute they came into eyesight with each other.

"Well, I better phone the doctors, for the scan appointment." AJ said, watching him nod with a smile.

Punk would never let her down with this. Yes, he was scared, terrified, but he wasn't going to abandon them, he loved AJ and even though just a fetus at this point still, he loved his unborn child and would take great care of her or him when she or he was born, no doubt about that, he'd made too many mistakes in life and to walk away from AJ, the most amazing woman he had ever set eyes on, a woman that he loved to death, he would be a fool to do that.

"I love you." Punk said, leaning up and kissing her head, sensing she was still scared, he knew that was normal, the first few weeks would be hard to come to terms with, but after, he knew she would desperately want the baby out.

"I love you so much." AJ said in return, feeling his lips kiss her soft forehead and pull away, his arm slithering around her as they lay together on the bed, still and quiet, the TV noisy in the corner, none of them processing what was going on in the programme though, they were too busy trying to understand that they had created a life, a person, their son or daughter, a child who would have his Brooks DNA and her Mendez DNA, a mixture of both of them. It was hard to think about at the moment, from the initial shock, the unexpected commitment they would have to have to make this work, but they were both determined to make this work, for their own son or daughter's sake, for their sake as a couple.

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	18. Chapter 18

Another day slowly crept by and AJ felt so much better after having a long, good night sleep with Punk by her side. She woke up in the same position that she fell asleep in, with the same TV channel on in the corner, quietened down to the lowest volume, she figured Punk turned it down last night.

She heard Punks steady breathing above her, his soft breathing contracting with his chest as it moved up and down in a steady rhythm. She untangled herself from him and stood up, exiting the room and standing still for a minute, looking at the small hallway which had obviously Punk's room which she had just left, a bathroom and a spare room that had barely been touched since Punk moved into the place a few years back. It was small, but it was plenty room like Punk told her.

She walked towards the start of the staircase and walked downstairs slowly, holding the banister as she walked each step with care, finally reaching the bottom and walking into the living room which led out into the kitchen. Like she said, it was a small house, but it was just enough for them and a new baby.

She could already see it, a thousand and one baby toys scattered all over the living room floor, the children's channel constantly on the TV, the smell of babies instead of Punks clone that lingered around the house. Everything was going to change the minute she gave birth to this baby and that was what scared her.

She was on her way to the kitchen, deciding to make her a coffee and make Punk one to take up to him. He had been so sweet and understanding throughout this and she couldn't have asked for a better father for her baby.

Just as she was on her way to the kitchen, the front door knocked. She began to wonder who on earth was banging at the door at 8am on a Monday morning, but she seen a glimpse of Seth's car outside the living room window and quickly left to open the door to him.

"Hi AJ, is Phil around?" Seth asked, walking into the house as AJ shut the coldness back out.

"He's still sleeping. I can go wake him…"

"Oh no…" Seth put his hand out, "Let him sleep. It's alright, I'll call round later on, it was just to talk to him about work." Seth said, forgetting for a split second that AJ was standing in front of him and that she was pregnant, "And congratulations, by the way." Seth smiled to her.

"Thank you." AJ smiled, hearing the first congratulations warmed her heart, "I was just going to make a coffee, you're welcome to stay for one if you like." AJ suggested.

Seth thought about it, did he really want to strike up a conversation with AJ, just after she found out she's pregnant. He realised that she seemed to be suggesting he stayed and not asking, he wasn't going to say no, she clearly wanted to talk with someone and he did consider her as a little sister, "Yeah, go on." Seth smiled, unzipping his jacket as she walked on into the living room and through to the kitchen while he followed shortly afterwards.

Both of them sat at the kitchen table with their coffee's, AJ stirring hers awkwardly as the kitchen was silenced.

"I know… you two are a little wound up about this, but you'll be fine. Both of you." Seth smiled to her.

"This wasn't what we planned." AJ looked at Seth, continuing to stir her coffee and watch Seth nod.

"Doesn't mean you'll love the kid any less… take it from me, Punk's the softest out of all of us, for those he loves, he stands by, regardless, he'll be a good dad." Seth said, he always figured Dean would be the first to be a dad out of all of them, he just always had an unexplainable feeling about it, but knowing it was Punk actually didn't scare him, Punk was the oldest out of them all and he was the most responsible and very capable of raising a child.

"I know he will… he's just, he's lived a certain way to life for so long, I don't want to put all of this on him, make him feel isolated." AJ said with a sigh, drinking the warm coffee as she paused.

"He's only lived a certain way of life for so long because he's not had anyone to come along and change it all, you have. Before he met you he was miserable, he would barely date, he'd keep quiet to himself at work… you've brought the old Punk back." Seth smiled, watching AJ smile down to the ground, "He loves you. Take it from a man who has fell in love and knows the signs, he loves you. And he'll love the kid just as much." Seth said with a wink as AJ just laughed, smiling to Seth.

"Thank you… it's nice to hear how much you think of him." AJ smiled.

"He's a good guy. Keep him." Seth said, sipping the coffee as he looked around, "So are you planning on moving in?" Seth asked her.

"Yeah, that's the plan. I don't know when, just as long as it's before the baby is born." She said.

"I know it's still early days and stuff, you have a lot more months to go, but… what is it you want?" Seth asked her, knowing she would have already thought about what she wanted, a son or a daughter, every mother's first thought was what she was going to be having.

"Honestly, I'm not bothered. I'm really not." AJ smiled, realising how much she liked talking about the baby, she was beginning to feel an excitement and not a scared feeling around her and that was good.

"C'mon… really, if you had to choose, what would you have?" Seth asked.

"I'd love both, I'm really not fussed." She said. She spoke the truth, she would be delighted with either a boy or a girl, a boy to watch him grow up to be like Punk, forever in his father's shadow, watching them play catch outside or letting Dean, Seth and Punk take him to his first hawks game, dressing him in the old punk rock style that Punk wore but of course having to get her converse in there, just a second version of Punk really that she would love until she died.

A girl would be so sweet to, to dress her in cute little outfits, to brush her hair when she got older, to watch Punk give her the world and more, to have Seth and Dean be her best friends, a complete little daddy's girl that she would love until she died.

She genuinely didn't mind one bit about the gender of their child, as long as it was healthy and happy.

"Well, I know what I'm hoping for, but I'll keep it to myself." Seth smiled, figuring he would wait another 4 months until Punk and AJ found out to announce what it was he thought the baby would be, "I better shoot off, I've to be at work in an hour." Seth stood up and walked over, putting his empty mug in the sink and walking back to AJ, "Tell Punk I'll be round later. It was nice seeing you." Seth said, he'd never really gotten to have a one on one conversation with AJ and it was nice, Punk really was a lucky guy, "I'll speak to you soon." Seth said, kissing AJ on the cheek and heading out.

AJ just smiled as she heard the front door shut behind him and continued to drink her coffee. It was nice to actually speak positive of the baby, so far her and Punk had just been discussing financial situations and where they would stay and what they would do if AJ stopped working, but talking with Seth about the baby made her realise how badly she actually wanted to have this child with Punk.

After AJ finished the rest of her coffee, she made her way upstairs to where Punk was surprisingly sleeping, she figured that all this commotion going on around them was tiring him out, it wasn't like him to sleep for a long length of time.

She walked round to the side of the bed he was sleeping on, sitting on the edge beside his body and looking down at him.

She knew he would be the perfect father for her baby, he was so caring and loving and protective, any child was lucky to have him as their father. She knew he doubted himself but she knew he would be great.

She stroked her hand through his famous bed hair that was hanging just on his eyebrow line and around his face, it not slicked back like usual.

She looked down at her stomach, not even a visible bump showing yet but she could feel it inside, she was pregnant and it was her and Punk's child, they were this babies mom and dad and nothing could change that. She was going to make sure she could give her child the best upbringing possible unlike her own and unlike Punks.

"We're going to have a baby." AJ said quietly, laying her hand on her stomach as she looked at Punk who stayed sleeping comfy in bed, his eyelids shut as his chest moved up and down soft and gentle, "We're going to have a baby…" She whispered, looking down at her stomach with a small smile.

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	19. Chapter 19

AJ had brought herself to go to work the next day, there was nothing stopping her, it wasn't like she had a strenuous job, she just walked around hospital making sure everyone was ok and doing simple procedures that nurse's would carry out.

However, she couldn't wait to get home and put her feet up and take advantage of Punk running around after her already. She'd spoken to her boss about maternity leave and they both agreed that when she hit 5 months pregnant, she would take her leave, her boss wasn't hard to deal with, she was nice and understanding, so that helped in the long term.

While she was on the x-ray and sonogram department picking up some files, she booked in for a scan in a few days to have their first check up and introduction to being pregnant, it wasn't like she'd done it before, she was clueless and so was Punk.

"Hey!" Renee noticed AJ walking down the hospital corridor, running after her and holding on to her arm for her to stop and talk to her.

AJ stopped when she heard Renee and turned around to her blonde friend who had a smile on her face.

"I didn't expect to find out from Dean, when were you planning on telling me?" Renee asked AJ, she wasn't expecting to hear from her boyfriend that her best friend was pregnant with a guy she'd only known for 7 months.

"Sorry." AJ apologised for not coming to Renee sooner, "We found out rather quickly and I've been off since Saturday." AJ explained.

"It's alright… but I can't believe it, how's Punk with it?" Renee asked curiously, holding the clipboard to her chest with different application and files clipped into it.

"He's alright, a little bit shocked in the beginning, well we both were…" She chuckled nervously, "But he's good." AJ smiled.

"Well congratulations." Renee smiled, "First dibs on god mother." She smiled as she nudged AJ playfully and headed off back to what she was doing before AJ caught her attention.

AJ just smiled and continued to walk down the hall of the hospital, continuing her days work.

_With Punk…_

Punk was at work too and was on his lunch break with Dean and Seth, both of them in the works dirty cafeteria with polyester cups of coffee at their table, all of them dirty from transferring different boxes onto trucks and other shelves.

"So when will you start overtime?" Dean asked Punk, sitting across from him and Seth at the four seater table.

"As soon as I can." Punk said. He needed all the money he could get at the moment, with the new baby and with AJ moving in, they needed to save and plan for their child's future.

"When do you reckon AJ will be moving in?" Seth turned to Punk.

Punk just shrugged, "As soon as we get her stuff all packed and transferred, I guess. Could do with both your help, I don't want her lifting anything and I won't be able to do it all on my own." Punk said.

"Sure." Dean nodded as Seth did to, of course they would help out Punk and AJ.

"Listen…" Seth said, facing Punk, "Anything you need… you or AJ, we'll be there." Seth promised him.

"Thanks." Punk smiled. It felt nice to have some reassuring that wasn't just from AJ and it was nice to know his friends were willing to help him along this tough journey to fatherhood. He just still couldn't wrap his head around it, him? A father? There was no way, he had moments were he got excited, the thought of him and AJ raising a beautiful little boy or girl together, but then it dawned on him that he was going to be the one getting up at 4am to change diapers, do feedings, change the kid while it screamed in his ear, bathe it, put it to bed when AJ went back to work, as it grew older he'd have to run it to school, help do homework, be there 24/7 and he didn't know if he could handle the thought of someone so small looking up to him as their everything, looking up to both of them, him and AJ. It scared him in a way, a way that he didn't want to be scared.

"Dude…" Dean said, snapping Punk out of his daze, "You got this." Dean nodded, "The kids going to adore you." He said.

"Or what if I fuck up, lose my mind, AJ leaves, takes the kid and I lose everything." Punk said, running his hands through his hair as he leaned his elbows on the table and slouched over himself.

"Don't be such an idiot. Do you think AJ is going to be the perfect mom?" Seth said.

"Yes." Punk chuckled, "Yes, I do… she's, she's everything you'd need in a mom, she's gentle, always knows what to say, her fucking touch is enough to make everything alright… she's incredible and I'm just going to be on the side lines not knowing what the fuck it is I'm supposed to be doing." Punk said.

"Stop doubting yourself." Dean told him, "Just… just give the kid the childhood you wished you had, the childhood we all wished we had… I know you can, the kid's going to be surrounded by a cool, loving, awesome dad, a hot mom…" Dean winced as Punk kicked him under the table.

"An amazing mom…" He corrected himself, "A badass pair of uncles, a sweet auntie in Renee, a roof over its head with two working parents who love each other, what is it you're exactly scared of?" Dean asked him, wondering if Punk even knew what it was he was scared of.

"Letting the kid down… letting AJ down… I don't know." Punk said, knowing himself that he was doubting himself too much and that he probably could do this if he had the determination to, which he did, he loved the baby already, just like he loved AJ.

_Later that night…_

"How did work go today?" Punk asked AJ, both of them sitting on the couch in his house after both having long days at work.

"It was ok. I booked the first scan for Friday, so try get it off." She looked up at him as he nodded, "And I talked to my boss, we agreed that I worked up until I hit the five month mark." She spoke.

"Five months?" Punk questioned, "That's quite late on." Punk raised his eyebrows down at her, he didn't want her in a hospital, were germs were everywhere, whilst having a huge belly, getting tired easily walking up and down corridors.

"Yeah, well we need the money." AJ said, keeping her eyes on the TV as she hugged into him.

"I'll be working overtime. You don't need to be worried about the money." Punk said, "How have you been feeling?" He asked, his hands travelling to her stomach, rubbing it gently as he looked at her.

"Fine." AJ smiled to him, holding his rubbing hand still and pressing her lips up against his own, cupping his cheeks as she shuffled up on the couch, both of them slowly but surely falling back down on the couch, AJ on top and smothering him with kisses.

Punk loved when she came on strong from nowhere, it was such a good unexpected surprise to be swaddled and loved by her so intimately.

"I don't know what I'd do without you." AJ whispered, kissing him again as he ran his hands up and down her back. She didn't know what she would do without him, truthfully. He was everything she needed right now, alongside their baby.

"I'm gona try do this without squashing you, or the baby…" Punk said, flipping AJ gently around on her back, hovering over her and kissing her neck as she moaned into him.

A few minutes later was enough to have them both bare together on the couch, having not enough time or energy to move to the bedroom. Their clothes were spread around the living room and they were already warm and stuffy.

"I need this." AJ moaned, after going through a long, tiring day, she needed something to moan about.

Punk just smiled and pecked her lips, guiding himself home, into her, still never fully getting used to how amazing it felt to be inside her every time.

"AJ… baby…" Punk moaned, feeling AJ's nails clawing at his naked back, pulling himself all the way back and pushing back inside her again, filling her completely as she writhed beneath him.

"Punk… Phil, faster…" AJ begged, craving that glorious high that Punk was always capable of giving her.

Punk registered what his pregnant girlfriend was wishing and was in no shape to disappoint her. "Could do this all day…" Punk chuckled with a groan in her ear, watching a smile creep up on AJ's face as her hands held on to his back for relief.

_Later that night…_

Punk lay on his side on the couch, AJ on her side in front of him as he spooned her with his arms around her, his hands laid flat on her bare stomach.

"I can't believe that in nine months, we're going to be parents." Punk said, pressing his lips down on her shoulder every few minutes.

"I know." AJ whispered. A blanket over them, the fire roasting in the corner for heat and light, the TV on mute, flashing colours coming from it to light up the dark living room.

"I'm going to be here. This baby is going to have the best childhood we can possibly give it. You deserve all the love in the world, AJ." Punk said, watching her turn round and stare up at him, "And having this baby with you, I was scared… terrified." He chuckled, "But now, now I just see it as us addressing the love we have, the love we share… this baby, I love it already and I am not going to let her or him down any step of its childhood, I will never let you down either." Punk said, "That car crash was the best thing that ever happened to me, it didn't just bring me to you, it brought me to a life I never thought I could have or find, and it brought me to our son or daughter." Punk said, holding her stomach and shaking every doubt and fear away from him.

AJ just smiled and raised one hand up to cup his cheek, stroking it with her thumb softly, "I love you so much." AJ said, reaching up and pecking his lips, so at ease to have this baby now, they were going to be the best parents they could possibly be.

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	20. Chapter 20

Punk had got the day off on Friday and the long wait until their first scan had finally paid off when they made their way down to the hospital.

"Nervous?" Punk asked, turning to her as he pulled the keys from the car after parking in a spot in the parking lott.

AJ just took a deep breath, "A little." She replied with a small smile, "Everything is just a little overwhelming." She admitted to him, looking ahead now and twiddling her thumbs, wanting to wait in the car for a little minute.

"Take your time." Punk reached over and held her hand, squeezing it tightly to let her know he was here, "Everything is going to be just fine." He reassured her, watching her take another few deep breaths, "Let's go see our baby." He leaned over and kissed her cheek, dropping her hand as he got out of the car and shut the door over.

AJ just put on a smile, stood out of the car and closed the door over to, joining Punk and grasping his hand on the walk into the hospital building.

After travelling up to the x ray and sonogram department, AJ knowing the halls and turns like the back of her hand, she worked there after all, they patiently sat in the waiting area until they were called.

"We gotta get a few copies of the picture for Dean and Seth." Punk said, being sent text messages from both friends this morning, both asking for copies of the black and white sonogram picture they would receive for the first time.

"I didn't think they'd be interested." AJ replied quietly, looking at him with a chuckle.

"They are. They're already betting on what it's going to be." Punk laughed, proudly smiling as he put his phone in his pocket.

AJ just smiled and rolled her eyes at their childish behaviour.

"Miss Mendez." A nurse shouted as she peeped out the door of the sonogram room.

AJ walked on in straight away, Punk following behind her as he closed the door behind him, walking round to the side of the bed on which AJ had sat on, unzipping her coat as the nurse started to speak up.

"Alright… what we'll do is, we'll take a look at your baby, give you some diaries and guides to keep you right during your pregnancy, boring stuff for you dad…" The nurse turned to face Punk, "I assume this is your first baby?" She asked, telling straight away by the nervous features on them.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"Ok, well don't worry… we'll fill you in on everything before you leave. Just lie down on the bed for me." The nurse asked, looking for the gel as AJ lay down flat on the bed, lifting her t-shirt up, revealing her tiniest bump ever whilst turning to Punk who had taken a seat on the other side. She smiled to him and felt him rest his hand on hers, stroking the top of it gently as the nurse squeezed the cold gel over her stomach, spreading it around with the probe as different blotches and patches came up on the monitor in the corner.

"Alright, let's see…" The nurse spoke to herself, raising her glasses to her eyes and slowly moving the probe around AJ's stomach as she looked on at the monitor.

AJ crooked her neck up and began in search for her baby, feeling Punk still hold her hand as he looked on at the monitor to.

"Here we are." The nurse smiled, pulling the monitor over for both parents to see, "There's your baby." She smiled to both of them as she kept the probe still on the part of AJ's stomach that was presenting the best picture.

"It's tiny." Punk said, screwing his eyes up. He wouldn't have noticed where the baby was unless the nurse had pointed it out to him like she was.

"Well…" The nurse said, "You are only 12 weeks along, in the next few weeks is when you'll start to see things change, the 12 week mark is usually when you're out of the danger and can start to enjoy the pregnancy." The nurse said, "Would you like a copy of the picture?" She asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, still amazed by the monitor with her and Punk's baby showing, it was the most amazing yet scariest experience ever, but as time went by, the scary side of it was starting to be overshadowed and all she felt was sheer excitement and happiness.

"Can we have 3 copies please?" Punk asked as he refused to keep his eyes off the screen until the nurse removed the probe.

"Proud grandparents to be?" The nurse smiled over to Punk, printing off the first picture.

"No." Punk shook his head, "Just crazy best friends." He said as the nurse nodded with a warm smile, finally printing off the three pictures and wiping AJ's stomach while passing the pictures to Punk who continued to stare and stare until the nurse began speaking again.

"So, here is your own pregnancy pack." The nurse smiled, handing AJ the regular pregnancy folders and documents, thing she would need to take for the next scans until the birth. "You'll need to bring these for future scans and it is essential to bring it when you come in to have the baby." She said, watching AJ look through the folder, mostly just telling her the do's and dont's of pregnancies and the growth of her baby inside her.

"When can we find out the sex of the baby?" AJ asked as Punk passed her jacket to her, beginning to put it on as the nurse spoke up again.

"Usually five months is when we can officially tell for definite, so I recommend that you make an appointment at five months." The nurse smiled as AJ just nodded and stood up, meeting Punk who walked round to her.

"Any other questions you have?" The nurse asked them.

"No…" AJ looked up at Punk to see if he had anything to ask which she knew he wouldn't, watching him just shake his head politely, his hands folding into his jean pockets, she replied, "I think we're good." She smiled.

"Alright, good." The nurse smiled, "I'll see you soon then." She said, leading them out of the room and getting ready for the next person.

AJ felt like a little school girl again with all her folders and files in her arms, walking to the car with Punk walking beside. She could see at the corner of her eye that he was taking a glimpse at the sonogram picture ever now and then.

She placed the folders and sheets in the back seat of the car and quickly jumped into the passenger's side, rubbing her hands together for a heat, watching Punk get into the car too, pulling out the picture again.

"I can't believe me and you created this." Punk said, still amazed by the picture that was now so clear to him as his and AJ's baby.

"I wouldn't change having this baby with you for the world." AJ admitted, looking on at the picture in Punks hands. She didn't even know if she wanted to go through with this in the beginning, but now she had become so attached to her baby and so willing to raise it with love and happiness, as well as doing it with Punk. She was finally getting the life she so rightly deserved.

"I love you." Punk turned from looking at the picture and kissed her on the lips passionately, feeling her kiss back for a moment and then pull away a little with a smile, still close to each other, their lips just detaching for her to speak.

"I love you too." AJ replied with a smile as she stared into his eyes, pressing her lips back against his.

_Later that night…_

AJ and Punk decided they would go round to Dean and Seth's apartment to celebrate with them the first hurdle in the pregnancy and celebrate AJ being three months pregnant.

"What am I actually looking at?" Dean asked, his eyes screwed up as he looked at the picture closely, trying to identify where the baby was exactly.

"Here…" Punk snatched the picture from Dean and sat on the couch beside him as Renee and Seth chatted over in the other corner and AJ kept herself busy in the kitchen, pouring herself a drink, discovering that pepsi was giving her an awful taste in her mouth, she figured it was one of the things she was going off.

"Look…" Punk leaned into Dean, pointing to the baby in the picture, "See that little round blobby looking thing?" Punk looked at Dean.

"Yeah?" Dean said, looking at the pointed out piece of the picture.

"Dean, that's it." Punk said, handing Dean the picture back.

"Well I saw that." Dean tutted, "It's fucking tiny, I thought it would have a head and eyes and mouth and shit that I could see. That's boring." Dean huffed, expecting a full blown out picture of a fully developed baby.

"You'll have to wait a little while for that." Punk frowned to his disappointed friend, watching Renee leave the living room and into the kitchen, to have a girly chat with AJ he supposed, leaving him with his two boys.

"So…" Seth approached Dean and Punk after Renee had left from their conversation, "Who's going to be godfather?" Seth smiled as he sat down across from Dean and Punk on the opposite couch.

"I don't know." Punk shrugged, "I'll let AJ decide."

"Is it weird that I would want you as a boyfriend if I was a girl." Seth looked over to Punk.

"That is extremely weird." Punk looked at Seth with disgust.

"My bedroom is free right now…" Dean looked to both of them, feeling Punk push him over beside him.

"Shut up…" Seth looked to Dean, "What I mean is… you know, you treat her so well, you're always treating her like a princess, more men should be like you." Seth approved of Punk's caring nature.

"Well thanks… I think… She deserves to be treated like a princess, she's had a shit life up until now." Punk said, looking up from the ground to see both Seth and Dean's eyes darted on him for more information.

Punk groaned, "You two are worse than women…" He shook his head, "She's just, she's been through a shite life, her previous relationship… she wasn't treated right…" Punk said, watching them both still look at him with blank faces, "Physically." He looked at them for their understanding, watching them both nod in realisation.

"Well that must suck, for AJ." Seth said.

"Yeah, so she's happy about the baby and us…" Punk quietened as he watched AJ walk back into the living room with Renee.

Dean hadn't noticed or heard AJ and Renee's presence back into the living room, "Well I'd be happy to if I got out of being a punch bag for the rest of my life." Dean said, reaching over for his beer as AJ looked towards them all, Renee standing behind AJ awkwardly.

Seth just clenched his teeth together in awkwardness and looked over out the window while Dean realised AJ had heard him.

"Shit…" Dean muttered under his breath, "AJ… I'm sorry… I didn't know, I didn't mean…"

"It's fine." AJ said sternly but with a smile, her smile fading as she looked at Punk, how dare he sit and have a conversation with his friends about personal things she had told him. She wasn't even mad, she was hurt. And being described as a punch bag by Dean wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear.

"I'm eh… I'm just going to wait in the car." AJ said, grabbing her coat and walking out of the apartment, closing the door behind her and blinking as the tears flowed out her eyes, her sweater sleeves quickly catching them as she walked down the stairs in the apartment block, finally getting out the door and into the car where she sat and cried to herself. Just any little thing that reminded her of her previous, tragic life was enough to set her off, it didn't help that her hormones were all over the place either.

Meanwhile back in the apartment Punk was standing up putting his jacket on, "You idiot!" He shouted at Dean who didn't say anything.

"I didn't know she was behind me." Dean said, looking at Punk's angry face.

Punk just shook his head and fled out of the apartment, running downstairs and out of the building, immediately running to the car and getting into it, turning to AJ who still had teary eyes and a red face from rubbing it so much.

"You alright?" Punk asked her, watching her turn round to him and just look at him with a disappointed look on her face, "I'm sorry… They wanted to know, Dean didn't know you were behind him, don't be mad at me." Punk pleaded with her.

"I didn't really want you telling everyone, I wanted it to stay between me and you." AJ said, turning back away from him, feeling like she was going to cry again.

"You can trust them, they won't judge you. They're your friends now just as much as they are mine." Punk said, "Don't get upset."

"Just drive us home, Phil." AJ said with a sigh.

Punk just mentally kicked himself in the ass for even thinking that AJ would be ok with Dean and Seth knowing about her abusive past, he turned the engine on and drove off into the night, not a word being spoken.

He did think she was overreacting a little bit, but he wasn't in her shoes, he hadn't experienced what she went through, he couldn't be the judge of that.

He pulled the car up outside the house, watching AJ take her seat belt off, "Look, I'm trying my best with you." Punk said, "You don't need to take this so seriously and look at me like I've just killed somebody." Punk looked at her, not feeling it was right that he got put down for something so little like this.

"Well I have taken it seriously, I struggled enough telling you, never mind your stupid friends." AJ said.

"Don't call them stupid, they've been nothing but nice to you." Punk defended his friends.

"Because referring to me as a punch bag is being nice, right?" She looked at him with those brown eyes, not the innocent ones though, the fired up ones, the ones that were filled with anger.

"He didn't mean it. Why are you being so difficult? Get over it." Punk shrugged to her, realising slowly that he was about to break some boundaries here.

"Get over it?" AJ looked at him, "Get out of my sight." AJ shook her head and started to get out of the car.

"Stop… I'm sorry…" Punk held her arm, "I didn't mean that. We're both on edge here, we're still nervous about being parents. I just want you and the baby to be ok, who gives a fuck about your past, it's called the past for a reason." Punk said, feeling her shake his grip off her and step out of the car, looking on at her leaning down, the door opened as she looked in at him.

"You want to be a dad? How about you start acting like one!" AJ shouted, slamming the door over and heading away into the house as he sat in the car himself.

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**AJ coming off a little bit harsh, I think. REVIEW for more and thank you for all the REVIEWS so far, you are all stars!**


	21. Chapter 21

Punk sat in the car for a while after AJ stormed off, banging his head off the back of the seat and closing his eyes as he done so, if only he knew what to say at the right moments. He never knew how much it took for AJ to tell him about her previous life, if he did, maybe he wouldn't have muttered a word to Dean or Seth.

He figured he couldn't stay in the car all night. He got out the car and locked it, rubbing the back of his neck with a tired sigh as he walked up the stairs and into the house.

He looked around and noticed she wasn't in the living room or kitchen, so he headed on upstairs, finding her sitting on the side of the bed she slept at normally.

"Hey." Punk said quietly, closing the door behind him and walking round to sit beside her, watching her hug her arms and turn away from him.

"I'm sorry." Punk said, "I didn't mean to hurt you by telling them. I didn't know how strongly you felt about it until now, I can't stand you being mad at me." He said, begging for her forgiveness.

"You're the only person who knows, well not now… but you were, I'd never told anyone, I thought I could trust you…" She looked at him with a lump in her throat.

"You can." Punk said with a sigh, not being able to stand the thought of her not trusting him, "You can trust me, I just never thought this was such a big deal to you."

"Why would you think that? What part of getting beat up and hurt is not a big deal? Feeling alone and scared.. Like nothing can save you… why would that cross your mind as not a big deal?" She looked at him with a confused expression.

"I'm sorry." Punk said, not knowing what to reply with, "We don't even know each other." Punk chuckled to her.

"What?" She looked up at him.

"Well yeah, we know each other, but not really, not the way we should… we're having a baby for crying out loud. We should know every single detail about each other, good and the bad." He said.

"What are you saying?" She looked up at him with a small smile.

"C'mon…" Punk said as he shuffled back on to his side of the bed, his back against the headboard as she smiled round to him and done the same, sitting beside him, her back resting against the headboard, "Let's go through our full lives with each other, from start to finish, not sneaking around anything, alright?" He said to her, watching her just smile and nod at his cute gesture.

"Ladies first." Punk smiled for her to go first.

"Alright, promise you won't fall asleep on me?" AJ smiled to him.

"Promise." Punk nodded.

"Ok…" AJ took a deep breath, "My parents were killed in a car crash when I was five, from what I've been told they were good people, but I don't remember them. I got shipped off to my mom's friends to live with her and her son, they were sweet, like family… but I always felt excluded from everything they done, I was never the daughter she never had, I was always just her dead friend's daughter. I guess growing up that way, not being loved, it prepared me for the outside world. I went through high school, got a degree in health aid and medicine, went to college, trained to be a nurse and started working when I was 20 in a hospital in New Jersey." She took a glimpse of him, his eyes on her the full time as she spoke, paying close attention to her.

"I had on and off boyfriends, guys to pass time… when I was 23, I thought I'd met him, I thought I was going to marry this guy." She chuckled to herself, "I did… he was so nice to me, everything I was looking for and then it all just came crumbling down, any little thing I done wrong, even if it was setting the table wrong, I'd have a bruise to show it… I ran away one night whilst he was on a work course, packed a bag with barely anything in it, grabbed my passport and wound up here in Chicago. The first thing I done was get a job which was pretty easy, got a house and then four years later… you appear." She smiled to him, "That's it, that's all I have to my name."

She spoke up again, "I love reading, holding your hand makes me feel good, I once broke my leg attempting to play soccer in high school, I stuck to chess club after that, I've never had many friends, I like being alone, I have a tattoo on my ankle, two Swallows, I got them in memory of my parents when I was 18. I love black and white movies, I like when someone hugs me unexpectedly, I'm not scared easily, having this baby though is perhaps the scariest thing I will ever have to do, I stopped believing in soul mates and love after my last relationship, a few months ago, I believed in it again." She smiled over to him, "You already know the majority of that, but there's me… please, you go now." AJ said, not wanting to look like an idiot telling her life story for any longer.

"Alright." Punk nodded, looking down as he fumbled around with his hands.

"My mom and dad weren't exactly parent material, my dad was either drunk or high during my entire childhood and my mom never had time for me, she only paid attention to my brother. I was the same person back then to what I am today, if I wasn't getting love from somewhere I needed it from, I went and found it somewhere else, which I did. I had a high school friend, Chez. She took me into her family and since then, they're my family, she's my sister, her sisters are my sisters, her mom and dad are my mom and dad, and that's just the way it is." Punk shrugged, "I dropped out of high school without any qualifications, wanted to be an astronaut but knew that dream was long gone." He heard a faint laugh come from her.

"I lived off gas station money and other part time jobs pay. Never had a real girlfriend, never believed that there's a right person for everyone in the world, met Dean and Seth through the gang, they were the only other two workers that seemed similar to me, they both didn't want to be there, spent four years in the gang with them, doing what we had to do, tried to get out, watched an innocent women get shot and killed, the next four years was spent working in a warehouse, getting Seth to come out his room, trying to carry on in life and sometimes thinking what the point was. Was over at Dean and Seth's one night, drove home, skidded into a building on the corner of the road, woke up and everything got good." He smiled to her, watching her lean her head back and face him.

"I don't have time for people who don't have time for me, I hate arguing with people I love, I hate the snow, I hate the beach, I could live off ice cream, I have too many tattoo's to count, I dig girls with small meaningful tattoos, never imagined myself having a kid, didn't think I could find a women to tolerate carrying the kid, I'm scared of disappointing the people I love the most, you, my family, Dean and Seth… our baby." He looked at her as she just rested her hand on his lap.

"When I was in hospital, every time I ran out of water in the jug you gave me, I was really pouring it down the sink so you would come back and see me." He said with embarrassment as she laughed hard, amused by that.

"That's the best thing I've heard all week." AJ smiled to him.

Punk just smiled and looked down in embarrassment, "What I'm trying to say… look at our lives, they're pretty shit let's face it." Punk said, "That's why… we should put everything in the past, live for now, because right now you're growing a baby inside you and we need to be ready, not spending our time thinking about the past. I'm sorry… I am so sorry for upsetting you, for making you cry, I shouldn't have assumed you would be ok with Dean and Seth knowing, but we have other things to think of." He said.

"It's not even that you told them, it's just… whenever someone mentions it, brings it up, I just relive it all again, because trust me… being with you has made me forget about it, but, I don't know… it just all came back to me." She shook her head.

"I won't bring it up again, I promise." He smiled, leaning over and kissing her cheek as she smiled as he done so.

Pulling away he spoke again, "I want you to move in with me, I want us to move forward with this, start on the nursery, move everything you own into here, this is your home now." He said.

"My home is wherever you are." AJ smiled up to him, leaning her head down on his shoulder.

_Throughout The Next Few Weeks…_

Throughout the next few weeks, boxes after boxes were being loaded into Punk's house. Punk had restricted AJ from lifting anything, so she stuck to unpacking the boxes while Punk, Seth and Dean transferred the packed boxes from AJ's old house to her now new one.

It didn't take long really, she didn't own a lot of things, after three days of constant moving and unpacking, the home finally felt warm and more full with her things. The bathroom was now full with all her girl products, his wardrobe was now being shared with her clothes, the fridge immediately built up on things she liked to eat, he had to admit, having someone cook for him was pretty good to, he would usually live on ready-made meals or take outs before.

She'd definitely fit into the home nicely and it was a perfect house for them and the new baby.

"I like this house much better now." Punk smiled as he walked into their bedroom now.

"Why's that?" AJ smiled over to him, standing at the bottom of the bed as he came round to meet her, wrapping his hands around her waist, the tiniest of bumps in between them.

"Because you're here. Permanently." He smiled.

"I'm going to drive you insane." She smiled up to him.

"Yeah?" Punk said, "We'll see about that." He chuckled, reaching down for her lips, kissing her deeply as her arms came up round his neck, he pulled away from her lips, "What'd you say we make it official." He nodded his head towards the bed.

"Any excuse for you to get me into bed." She chuckled at him, not complaining though as she attached her lips back onto his, ripping his shirt up and off him, both of them tumbling back on the bed.

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	22. Chapter 22

"I'm just saying, if it's a boy… Dean is a good sturdy name." Dean said as he sat in Punk and AJ's house, Renee sitting beside him on the couch as Punk came in from the kitchen and joined AJ on the chair, letting her sit on his lap with her legs draping over the chair.

"We aren't calling it Dean." Punk shook his head.

"Well what are you going to call it?" Dean asked them.

A few weeks had gone by and AJ was now finally on maternity leave and had past the five month mark in her pregnancy, her bump growing every day almost, for being such a small person, she had a pretty big bump for being five months pregnant.

"We're going to wait until we find out what the baby is, and then we can focus on looking at either all boy names or all girl names." AJ smiled over at Dean.

"I bet you it's a girl." Renee smiled, her instinct telling her that AJ and Punk were going to have a baby girl.

"Nah, it's a boy, I'm telling you…" Dean rubbed his hands together with a smile, he would be damned if tomorrow at the gender scan it was revealed that they were having a girl.

"I just want it to be safe and healthy." Punk smiled, turning to AJ who nodded her head with a smile. There was no preferred gender for them, they would love their baby regardless, boy or girl.

"You need to come straight to the apartment on the way home from the appointment. I expect Seth to pay his fifty bucks to me on the spot." Dean smiled. Him and Seth both betted different genders, Seth betting a girl with Renee and Dean betting a boy. He hoped he was right.

"You're betting on the sex of my kid. You're a disgrace Ambrose." Punk said with a laugh as he pressed kisses against AJ's cheek warmly, watching Renee and Dean speak quietly with each other in the corner. Seth was out on a work course and couldn't come round unfortunately.

Punk would never have guessed that him and Dean would have landed on such sweet amazing women.

_The next day…_

It was such an exciting day for AJ and Punk, the minute AJ woke up she had butterflies in her stomach, she was so excited and curious to find out what she was going to have.

"Nervous?" Punk asked her as they sat in the waiting room of the hospital.

"Not this time." AJ shook her head. She wasn't as scared as what she was the first few appointments, she was excited and happy, her emotions were running high since she got up this morning.

"Me neither." Punk smiled, feeling the exact same as her, not being scared this time but so excited and happy to be finding out what AJ would be giving birth to in a few more months, their son or daughter.

"Miss Mendez." Their nurse called.

AJ shot up, heading straight into the room with Punk following behind. Not the hesitation and scared walk she walked for their first appointment, an excited walk.

"How have you been?" The nurse asked, taking AJ's folders as AJ shuffled herself onto the bed, passing her coat to Punk as he sat on the other side where he had done for the previous scans.

"Great." AJ smiled.

"Good." The nurse smiled, "And I assume you're both wanting to find out the sex?" She asked them, switching the monitor on and squeezing the cold gel over AJ's now growing stomach.

"Yeah." Punk said as AJ nodded, shivering at the cold gel on her stomach, feeling the nurse press the probe against her stomach, rolling it around her stomach slowly to find a clear picture of their baby.

"Well… there's your baby, looks perfectly healthy, much more visible now isn't it?" The nurse smiled, finding it easier to get a picture of the baby since it was bigger, turning the monitor to both AJ and Punk.

"Is that it's head?" AJ asked, pointing to the screen.

"Yeah, head, stomach, legs, arms…" The nurse pointed out, still nowhere near developed yet, but it's getting there, you're doing a good job keeping it tucked up in there." The nurse smiled, printing some files off and another few pictures, remembering that this was the couple that had the interested crazy best friends that wanted pictures too.

Punk was on the edge of his seat, "So what is it?" He asked, AJ's hand grasping at his.

"That…" The nurse paused, "Is a little boy." She smiled to them, "Congratulations."

"A boy." AJ squeaked, overjoyed by the news, her hands up over her mouth as she smiled into them, turning to Punk who had a proud smile on him.

"I'll see you soon." The nurse smiled after cleaning AJ's stomach, leaving the room to let AJ and Punk have a minute to themselves.

AJ swung her legs around the side that Punk was sitting at, taking her hands from her smiling mouth and looking at him with a glow, hopping off the bed and tumbling in his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck as he kissed her multiple times on the lips.

"A little boy." Punk whispered in her ear in between kissing her, his hand resting down on her belly, smiling against the kisses.

_Later that night…_

After a very overjoyed drive back to Dean and Seth's apartment and a trip into the baby store downtown to buy their first piece of boy clothing, they finally parked outside the apartment.

AJ reminded to bring the bag with the little blue hat they had just bought in with them to the apartment where Dean, Renee and Seth were all sitting waiting on them.

"Took your time." Dean stood up as AJ and Punk walked in the door, Renee and Seth standing up to.

Renee had her hands clasped up at her mouth with a smile and Seth stood with a smile. He couldn't believe how sensitive he was getting over this, him and Dean.

"Sorry, we stopped in at the baby shop downtown." Punk said, his hand wrapped around AJ as they stood facing their on edge friends.

"Well…" Seth raised his eyebrows at them.

AJ dug into the bag and took out the blue hat, smiling at all three friend's faces, "It's a boy." She smiled to them.

Dean punched the air in triumph, he was right and everyone else was wrong, it was the sweetest moment ever, "Yes!" He shouted.

"Oh my god." Renee smiled.

"No way." Seth said with a surprised smile, he never thought it would have been a boy.

"You guys…" Dean awed in his gruff voice, walking over to Punk and AJ and recklessly pulling them both in for a hug, "Group hug." He called to Seth and Renee, pulling his girlfriend into the hug and grabbing Seth by the t-shirt, cuddling around each other.

"Congratulations you guys." Seth smiled, all of them swaddled in a little hug as AJ continued to laugh, Punk smiling at her laugh, Seth smiling at Punks smile, the same way he would smile at Claire when she laughed, Dean clearly enjoying the moment as Renee hugged into him.

"Gotta call him Dean." Dean said, his arms around his best friends.

"No!" Punk and AJ both exclaimed to him, all of them laughing.

"Alright, middle name?" Dean smiled innocently.

"Dean." AJ just rolled her eyes with a laugh, resting her head on Punks chest as they all stayed in their little huddle, enjoying this moment with each other. For once things for all of them were going good.

"I can see it…" Dean said, his arms around Seth and one around Renee, Punk and AJ close in front hugged together, "New President of the United States, Frederick Dean Brooks." Dean looking into the distance.

"If my son ends up being called Frederick, I should be put down." Punk chuckled, never imagining he would be saying 'my son.' It felt good.

Being here with his best friends, his pregnant girlfriend, during this festive season, coming to terms with soon being a father to a beautiful baby boy, he couldn't ask for any better. It was a good time to be living in his world.

They stayed in their little huddle making inside jokes and chuckling, celebrating the first spouse out of them all being a boy.

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	23. Chapter 23

"Punk!" AJ called into the kitchen as she sat on the couch in the living room.

"What? What?" Punk rushed from the kitchen, holding a towel in which he was drying the dishes with, "What's wrong?" He asked, rushing over to her.

"Nothing." AJ chuckled, noticing how cautious he was around her now these days, "We need to discuss names." She suggested.

"I thought there was something wrong." Punk pushed her shoulder playfully as she smiled.

"No, I want to suggest something to you…" She sat up straight and looked at him.

"What?" Punk asked what the suggestion was.

"I want him to have your name as his middle name." She smiled to him sweetly, having thought about it over night.

"What? No you don't." Punk laughed.

"I do, I really do." She nodded.

Punk just let out a nervous but happy sigh that followed with a chuckle as he ran his hands through his hair, "If that's what you want, then yeah… that would be nice." Punk smiled, hiding the fact that he was super stoked AJ wanted to give their son his name as his middle name.

"He's going to be so cute." AJ smiled as she hugged into Punk, leaning her head on his chest as his arm snaked around her.

"He's gonna get his looks from his daddy." Punk grinned, hearing AJ chuckle below him.

_The next day…_

AJ was meeting Renee downtown at a local restaurant for lunch, having nothing else to do with her day and making the most of not working. Punk and the boys were at work, so Renee suggested they went out without them for once.

"Can I have the nachos?" AJ smiled up to their waitress, "Oh and a side plate of fries, um… the onion rings and the BBQ wings." AJ smiled as she folded the menu up, passing it to the overwhelmed waitress as she went to put it through the til.

"You aren't going to eat half of that." Renee laughed across from her.

"Oh trust me, I will." AJ promised, "So, how are you? Dean?" AJ smiled as she sipped at her water, since she had completely gone off of Pepsi.

"I'm good. We're good." Renee smiled, "Just… you know, waiting for something to happen now, we've been dating for almost 9 months, but anyway… how's the baby?" She smiled.

"He's fine." AJ smiled, rubbing her stomach gently, "We agreed last night that he would have Phil as his middle name." She said, "Still have no clue about first name though." She said.

"You can pick up they giant baby books from Wal Mart, they have every name under the sun." Renee chuckled.

"Yeah, I'll do that on my way home." AJ nodded.

They both spent the rest of their afternoon talking about the baby, different things that they had to catch up on, not realising they were being watched closely by a car in the parking lot, looking at them both through the glass window of the restaurant.

_Later that night…_

"Phil… are you going for a shower?" AJ knocked at the bathroom door upstairs.

"Yeah, why?" Punk asked, in the bathroom stripping his t-shirt off, feeling dirty and sweaty from a long day of work.

"I'm going downstairs to make something to eat, do you want anything put on?" She asked.

"No, I'm good sweetheart." Punk replied, turning on the shower which silenced him out of everything else in the house.

AJ walked downstairs, getting slower every day. She walked through the living room and into the kitchen, noticing the kitchen door was lying open.

"Phil…" AJ shivered, realising Punk must have come in the kitchen door from work. She quickly shut the door over and locked it, not wanting anymore cold air to circulate in their warm house.

She walked over to the cupboard which was where she kept the biscuits, taking a few out and switching on the kettle. She chuckled, hearing Punk in the shower upstairs, listening to his dreadful singing from all the way downstairs.

She suddenly felt a heavy handed grasp at her hips, realising there was no chance of it being Punk her heart sank down to the ground.

"Don't scream."

AJ looked at the knife that was held out at her stomach, not having seen the man who was grasping her tightly and threatening her unborn child in the process.

She didn't want to get scared, but she didn't have a choice in that, she was terrified, confused and beside herself wither to scream or not for Punk's attention.

She didn't even give it a thought on who it was that was holding her in place from behind and holding an extremely sharp knife at her abdomen, in her own home. She had no enemies, Punk had no… She paused and shut her eyes.

"What do you want?" AJ whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Shhh." The man from behind croaked, "Keep quiet." He demanded, "We're going to wait…"

AJ just closed her eyes, feeling isolated in a dangerous bubble, opening her eyes back up and wishing that it was all just a dream, but realising this was really happening and she had no easy escape. She looked around the kitchen, looking for anything, something to help her get away from this intoxicating man who was tightly holding her in place, making her feel so uncomfortable and uneasy with the knife at her stomach.

It was the longest wait in her life, but finally, after the kitchen clock ticked for what felt like forever and the hot, dark breathing of the man behind her paused, she heard the shower stop and Punk move around upstairs, she knew this man was in serious, serious trouble when Punk got downstairs.

"Now you're going to keep quiet, do what I say, that way you or your little baby won't get hurt." The man said from behind, still holding her tightly at knife point.

AJ just nodded, not disobeying any orders that could put her or her baby in risk of getting hurt or worse.

AJ heard footsteps downstairs, hearing Punk mumble to himself as he walked across the living room, heading for the kitchen.

"AJ, I don't think there is any hot water in the…" Punk stopped his words from his mouth, he stopped his grip on the towel he was holding, he stopped the process of his brain at the sight in front of him. He immediately went for the man who was holding his pregnant girlfriend hostage.

"Stop!" The man shouted, "Stay where you are." He demanded, watching Punk look down at the knife which was hovering at AJ's growing stomach.

"Let her go." Punk gritted his teeth.

AJ could see it in Punk's eyes, he knew who this man was.

"You think leaving our companions warehouse filled with dead bodies was going to settle ok with us? Huh? What about killing my brother?" The man spoke, indeed being Punks former boss's brother, Joe Richardson, who was much older than Carl was.

"Let her go. She has nothing to do with this." Punk pleaded, cursing the day now that he agreed to help Seth out.

"Oh she does. She has just as much to do with this as you do. I assume it's your child she's carrying?" Joe raised his eyebrows, watching Punk get more and more agitated.

AJ just stayed silent, hearing them exchange words, hearing Punks pleads to let her go, praying that she would be ok and that this horrible man would take his hands off her.

"She hasn't done anything, leave her alone." Punk said, inching towards AJ slowly.

"Stop moving!" Joe shouted, pressing the knife right against AJ's stomach now, not leaning down on it, but holding it right by the skin through her t-shirt.

Punk watched as AJ let out a cried moan, feeling extremely cautious and uncomfortable, so scared for their baby.

Punk just clenched his fists and stayed in place, his head spinning and his eyes hurting at this tragic sight in front of him.

"So, here's what's going to happen…" Joe said with a sadistic smile, just as two men emerged into the kitchen, one spinning round Punk, the other throwing his fist in his face, sending him to the floor in unconsciousness.

AJ squealed as she watched Punks head hit off the kitchen counter on his way down to the floor, Joe's hand immediately covering her mouth, her screams going muffled and then to complete silent.

"Move." Joe pushed AJ lightly, still keeping a firm grip of her with the knife at her, pulling her carelessly through the house and out the door into the dark knight, throwing her in the backseat of the car, her hands being tied behind her back, her mouth being taped as well as a black bag being put around her head.

She had never been so scared in her life, her stomach was turning inside itself. She could still hear the sound of Punks head cracking against the kitchen work top, his body falling at her feet lifelessly, for all she knew that crack to his skull could have been the end of his life. She just silently cried as she felt the car engine start and speed off recklessly into the night, no regard to anyone that she was pregnant and vulnerable in the back seat, praying that Punk or anyone at this point would save her.

**Oh dear! Not good, let's see what goes down in the next chapter coming soon.**

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	24. Chapter 24

Punk stretched his hand up to the kitchen counter, pulling his body up from the ground, the blood running down his neck and landing on the kitchen floor. His head felt like a knife had been speared through it, he felt nauseous and dizzy, but that didn't stop him from understanding what had gone down before he got knocked out.

The images would not shift from his head, seeing AJ looking so frightened and scared, not just for her but for their baby, he needed to move quickly.

He travelled through the house like a lightening bolt, getting into the car outside, probably not the best thing to do while his head was bleeding from the back, but he didn't care. His girlfriend was in danger, his unborn son was in danger and he wasn't prepared to let anything happen to either of them.

He drove straight to Dean and Seth's house, needing all the help he could get at this point, not being afraid to admit it, three was better than one, especially when he was a walking zombie.

He was pretty sure he ignored a few red lights on his way to their apartment, skidding round the corners and parking in a non parking space outside the apartment block.

Running upstairs created a certain pounding in his head that didn't feel too good but nevertheless he kept on running until he got to the apartment door, banging on it with heavy fists, not stopping the banging until Dean came to the door.

"Dude!" Dean shouted as he swung the door open, biting his tongue from saying anymore as he seen Punk look half alive, holding the back of his head in a panic state, "What's happened Punk?" Dean asked.

"They took her." Punk said, his body shaking as he walked in the apartment where Seth was sitting on the couch, standing up immediately at the presence of his very shaken up friend.

"What?" Dean looked at Punk with confusion.

"Remember Carl's brother? From Cincinnati, gang leader… he came to the house, busted me up and took AJ… I… I need to find her, what if something happens to her, or the baby…" Punk rambled on in panic as Dean gave him a reassuring rub on the shoulder.

"Calm down, calm down…" Dean said as Seth made his way over to them.

"This is all your fault." Punk spat towards Seth, "If you hadn't made me join your stupid little plan, AJ wouldn't be in danger, you told me she wouldn't get hurt!" Punk screamed at Seth, grabbing him suddenly by the t-shirt as Dean broke them up.

"Enough!" Dean shouted, "We have bigger things to worry about, we need to get out looking for AJ."

"I never knew this was going to happen." Seth said, feeling extremely guilty at this moment, "I'm sorry."

"If anything happens to her I swear to god Seth." Punk gritted his teeth towards his friend.

"Nothing will happen." Dean said, trying to keep being positive to keep Punk on his feet, "You need to get that head sorted before you go anywhere."

"No way… I'm looking for her right now, I'm not waiting around." Punk said, not wasting any time. Time was precious now.

"Nothing is going to happen." Dean said, "They'll keep her hostage for you to come find them, if you're going up against these guys, you need to have that head fixed before you do." Dean said.

"Yeah, he's right." Seth said.

"I'll call Renee round. She'll stitch you up, then we'll head off." Dean suggested as Punk was beside himself, not being able to get AJ out of his mind, her cries when the knife was pressed against her stomach, it replayed over and over again in his ears.

"I don't even know where to start looking for her, where the hell would they have taken her?" Punk sighed frustratedely as he turned and punched the wall hard in frustration.

"Dude… calm down." Seth said calmly as Dean stepped aside to call Renee round to stitch Punk's head up.

"Don't tell me to calm down." Punk said as he looked at Seth with venom, "If she so much has a mark on her, if my baby is harmed, it's all down to you." Punk pointed to Seth as he pushed past him and headed for the bathroom, in hopes to sort himself out and splash some cold water over his face.

_With AJ…_

AJ was shaken with fear, having rode in a car full of silence, seeing only darkness for the full forty minutes, she was terrified to know where she would end up arriving. As soon as the car had stopped, she felt a pair of cold hands grab her carelessly out of the car, the black bag kept over her head, her hands tied tightly behind her back and her mouth taped in silence. None of these men cared that she was pregnant, they were all heartless with only danger written across them.

She heard muttering around her as she got led into what seemed to be a room inside of a building. One of those dodgy warehouses, she suspected.

"Sit down." Someone came over and pushed her shoulders down, forcing her onto the seat and ripping the black bag off her head.

AJ looked around and saw a man come over and rip the tape from her mouth painfully. She silently winced as it seemed to feel like he took half the skin with him, but nevertheless she showed no mercy to these men, no fear, even though she was screaming on the inside.

"Much more prettier in real life, I must say." Joe said, leaning over on his desk, staring directly at her with beady eyes.

AJ kept her mouth closed, if she opened it there was a good chance she would have said the wrong thing. She just stared at them men, all four of them in the room, one lurking behind her, two at either side of Joe and of course, Joe himself.

"Now, were you dating Punk boy when he decided to kill my brother and all his workers?" Joe asked, flipping a coin rather talentedly up and down.

"Your brother killed Claire. They had every right to kill him." AJ spat.

"Claire… dear old Claire, gorgeous girl like you, April. Such a tragic night, you play your cards right…" Joe walked over to her and crouched down to eye level, "We won't have to relive it." He said, standing back up straight and looking down upon AJ.

AJ just looked at the ground. There must have been a way to get out of here, she was not prepared to die, she was not prepared to put her baby boy in danger.

"What do you want with me?" AJ asked, "I… I shouldn't be here, I shouldn't be trapped like this… if it's Phil you want, why didn't you just take him?"

"Lots of reasons, April. It's much, much more fun this way, if we took Phil and left you, you would have called the cops, and… the look on his face when he sees his innocent little April trapped in a chair like Claire was, it's going to be good." Joe smiled.

"You are evil." AJ spat, "All of you."

"And you think your boyfriend isn't, you think he's going to commit to being a father you need him to be, it's lucky he has even stuck around this long. They're animals, all three of them… their three nightmares dressed like day dreams, they're just as evil as me, sweetheart." Joe winked to her, puffing on his cigarette as AJ looked away, feeling physically sick

She didn't know how long she could stay in here, she felt so intoxicated, she was surrounded by smoke, alcohol and drugs, things she didn't want near her or her baby.

"Now…" Joe said, walking over to AJ and crouching down again, "All we have to do is wait." He said, inhaling the smoke in his cigarette and puffing it out on AJ's face as she coughed and tried her best not to take any of it in.

_With Punk…_

"Ok, that should be you." Renee said after stitching up Punk's head and practically forcing anti biotics down his throat. As soon as Renee found out about AJ and what happened, she was a little shaken up, she didn't want to be left alone as of now and she knew that all three of them were off to get AJ.

Punk went into the bathroom once again to wash his face while she went off to speak to Dean, Seth stayed in the corner feeling guilty as ever, watching Punk look the exact way he looked when they found out Claire had been taken.

"I'm scared, Dean." Renee walked over to Dean.

"I want you to go to your mom's house, we'll drop you off on the way there, don't come out until we're back. Ok?" Dean said, cupping her cheeks as she nodded, a tear running down her cheek as he quickly dried it with the pad of his thumb.

"You'll bring AJ back home, won't you?" Renee asked, not wanting to lose her best friend who had so much to lose herself.

"I promise we will. History isn't repeating itself." Dean said, looking over at Seth who was beside himself in the corner. "It's going to be alright, I promise." Dean said, pulling her in for a hug, rubbing her back in circular notions, at this moment so glad that it wasn't Renee they had taken.

"I love you." Dean said, resting his chin on her head.

"I love you too." Renee said, leaning her head into his chest, staying together for a little moment before Punk emerged back from the bathroom, ready to go.

"Where is she going?" Punk asked Dean, instead of being polite and asking her herself.

"She has a fucking name!" Dean shouted, "We're dropping her off on the way."

Punk just nodded and walked out, glaring at Seth as he did so, Renee and Dean following behind together.

They drove to Renee's moms and dropped her off, Dean feeling at ease that she would be safe there.

"Do you even know where she is?" Seth asked Punk in the passenger's side of the car beside Punk as Dean sat in the back, leaning over into the front.

"No, I don't know where she is Seth, I don't have a fucking tracker for her, I'll call her, someone might pick up." Punk said, placing his phone on loud speaker and sitting it down, listening to it dial out until someone picked up.

"April!" Punk said immediately.

"Not April…" Joe croaked through the phone, "However she is beside me right now." Joe said through the phone, walking in circles around April.

"Please…" Punk said in a calm tone, "Don't hurt her, you want me? Tell me where you're at and you can have me, just… don't harm her." Punk begged her.

"Well that all depends. It depends on how April here plays her cards, quite the mouth on her… it depends how quickly you can get here and it depends really on how I'm feeling." Joe said.

"Well where are you? We'll be there as quickly as we can." Punk said.

"We?" Joe said, "Oh no Phil, I just want you here… Seth and Dean can run away back home." Joe said.

Punk just stared between Seth and Dean who were both covering their faces with their hands.

"Alright, fine." Punk said as he looked at them both, "Where are you?"

"Downtown. The warehouse across from the elementary…"

"Alright alright… I know where it is. I'll be there." Punk said, "Can I speak to her?" He chanced his luck.

"No. See you soon." Joe said cheerily, hanging up.

Punk heard the line go dead and he turned to both Seth and Dean.

"What are we meant to do?" Dean asked him.

"Oh, you're both coming with me." Punk said as he drove off into the night carelessly.

_With AJ…_

"He's going to kill you." AJ spat after hearing Joe's conversation with Punk.

"No he won't." Joe chuckled.

"Yes, he will… he'll put you right where you belong, alongside your brother six feet under…"

AJ immediately regretted speaking when Joe yanked her off her seat by the hair, pulling her head back with her hair and looking down at her, "I suggest you shut your mouth." He said, getting rid of his joking and arrogant side, scaring AJ with his facial features up close.

"Make me." AJ spat, if she was going to go out, she was going to go out with dignity.

Joe slammed her against the nearest wall, her back thudding against the wall as he held her around her jaw, "Maybe I'll not wait until Punk gets here… I might just start early." He said, his hand slithering around and touching her stomach.

"Take your hand off me!" AJ shouted, pushing his hand away from her bump, her motherly instincts kicking in to protect her baby.

"Where's your little superhero now? Huh?" Joe said, slamming AJ's head back against the wall, the same noise was heard when Punks skull cracked off the kitchen counter, only AJ was fortunate enough not to have hers bust open, just the ache of it was driving her insane.

She hoped Punk would show up otherwise she was convinced he would be finding her on the ground, taken from him in an instant just like Claire was. She was scared, she was getting to the point where she was letting the tears flow, she couldn't be strong any longer, she was terrified for her and her baby who needed its father desperately.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Warning for this chapter, things get a little heated.**

AJ spent the next ten minutes with Joe in her ear, his warm breath whispering such hatred things about her and her baby, his hands on her shoulders, not letting her body away from against the wall.

"Please… let me go." AJ begged now, regretting ever riling Joe up, figuring she should have just shut her mouth and kept quiet, she felt so scared, like nothing could ever save her or help her, she felt like her baby knew she was in danger, she could feel it inside her, she was so terrified and nothing she could say was going to stop him from hurting her.

"Shh…" Joe said, stroking her cheek as she turned her head away, not wanting any part of him touching her.

"Stop… touching… me…" AJ gritted her teeth as she lifted her leg right between Joe's two legs, sending him to the floor as she looked at her opportunity.

She took off for the door in the corner and suddenly forgot there were three other men in the room who immediately formed a wall in front of the door, not letting her past.

"Please… let me out of here!" She screamed at their heartless faces, banging her fists at them and trying to push past them.

"Come back here, you bitch." Joe got to his feet, walking towards AJ and grabbing her hair again, marching her over to the table this time and bending her over it with power, her cheek slamming against the cold table, feeling his hands at her hips, his crotch against her backside.

She was convinced she was creating a puddle of tears on the table, she went completely stiff when she heard a zip being undone. Not when she was pregnant, this couldn't happen, she was begging for anyone, someone.

Her hands were gripped on the sides of the tables, her legs gone stiff at the back, her body closing in against itself to keep away from him, but she could only do it for so long.

"Pregnant women aren't usually my type… but you'll do." Joe croaked.

AJ just closed her eyes tightly, not being able to understand why this was happening to her, what had she ever done to anyone.

Just as she felt Joe grab the tops of her jeans, all three men on guard of the door were shot down and three different men emerged in the door, three guns pointing Joe's away, three angry faces staring him down.

"Step away from her." Punk gritted his teeth, so tempted to just blow Joe's brains out right there and then.

Joe done up his fly and put his hands in the air, stepping back from AJ who was shaking over the table, finding some strength to bring herself up straight. Her prayers had been answered and she had been saved from the most disgusting, horrible moment she nearly had to go through.

"Are there any other men in the warehouse?" Punk asked first.

"I told you not to bring them." Joe shook his head at Dean and Seth on either side of Punk, guns facing him.

"Answer me!" Punk shouted, his eyes on Joe the full time, seeing at the corner of his eye, AJ in the corner of the warehouse, shaking and crying.

"No… it was just me and… those three." Joe looked round to his dead men on the ground behind Punk, Dean and Seth, "How did you get here so quick?" Joe was amazed.

"We took a shortcut." Dean answered, "Do you have any weapons on you?" He asked.

"No." Joe raised his hands further up, turning around to let them see.

"Here's what's going to happen, you're going to let AJ go with Dean and Seth. I will stay. Me and you need to have a little chat." Punk said, nodding to Seth who walked over and lead AJ over to them.

Dean and Seth took care of AJ and helped her out of the room while Punk stayed with Joe, burning him down with his eyes, "I'm going to ask you this once, did you hurt her?" Punk asked him as he stayed his distance, worried that if he got too close to Joe, he would just snap.

"No." Joe said.

"And you thought it would be alright to bend her over a table, slamming her pregnant body down and scaring her to death… do you think I'm going to be alright with that?" Punk screwed his eyes up towards Joe.

Punk was furious, he was exile, ready to kill almost, Joe was not walking out of this warehouse tonight.

_With AJ…_

"Stop…" AJ begged Dean and Seth who were rushing her to the car. She paused and held on to Dean for support, shooting and abdominal pains going up her growing belly, her knees going weak and her core going tight.

"Are you alright?" Dean held her up.

"My stomach…" AJ shook her head with a wince… "The baby…" She looked at them both with a frightened feature, wincing in pain louder this time echoing the car park.

"We need to take her to a hospital." Seth said immediately looking at Dean, not being held responsible for damage being done to AJ and Punk's precious baby.

"We can't leave Punk." Dean said, "What if something happens to him."

They both paused as AJ let out another moan of pain, looking at each other with fear.

"You take her." Seth said, "Take her to a hospital, I'll stay out here and wait for Punk." Seth said, looking at Dean registering thoughts in his brain.

Dean knew they couldn't hold off AJ's pain any longer, anything could have been wrong with the baby, Seth was right. They needed to get her to the hospital.

"Alright." Dean said, "But don't leave him here on his own." Dean warned Seth, not wanting anything to happen to Punk, Seth nodded and shoed Dean with his hand.

Dean helped AJ into the car and drove off as fast as he could to the nearest hospital while Seth waited outside in the cold for Punk.

"Hang on AJ, we're nearly there." Dean said into the back seat, looking at AJ breathing heavily in his rear view mirror, speeding round corners carelessly to reach the nearest hospital.

AJ was just so thankful to be out of Joe's reach, she just hoped now that her baby was ok and nothing was wrong, she couldn't live with herself, she knew Punk wouldn't either.

"Careful…" Dean said, eventually getting into the hospital and helping AJ out of the car, guiding her to the hospital entrance, the building quiet as anything which was good, AJ would be seen to right away hopefully.

Luckily enough for Dean, someone did see to AJ right away and took her immediately into a room, leaving him pacing outside and praying to a God he never believed in.

_With Punk…_

"C'mon, you piece of shit." Punk walked by Joe's body on the ground, kicking his head back down, "C'mon… fight me like a man." Punk egged him on, circling him as Joe croaked out a laugh, even when beating down to the ground and half alive.

"You stupid little boy." Joe laughed as Punk just stopped pacing and paused on the spot, "You honestly think I would come here with just three men… full warehouse is full of them." Joe laughed, resting his head back down on the ground.

Punk just turned his head in confusion, "What… What are you…" Punk paused hearing the door open behind him.

He turned slowly, staring at the men standing behind the door, all with weapons, all bigger than him, at least 10 or more of them. He hadn't thought this through, he really hadn't.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	26. Chapter 26

"You can go in… she's just resting up, the baby is fine. She had a little panic attack and I don't think the baby liked it, that's all. " A nurse approached from the room they had taken AJ into with a smile. Dean immediatley stood up with a thankful smile and walked on into the room.

AJ looked a funny white colour and she looked like she'd been crying, not to mention her hands were still shaking.

"Hey…" Dean said, "It's alright, you're ok AJ." Dean said, quickly walking over to her.

"I thought use weren't coming." AJ said, a tear running down her eye.

"We were always coming. You're safe." Dean said, watching AJ's shoulders move up and down, her cries becoming louder and louder until she was crying loudly beside him, leaving him a helpless bag of nerves, not knowing what to do with her.

"Shh…" Dean said, sitting at the edge of the bed beside her, awkwardly wrapping his arm around her as she clung onto him for dear life. He wasn't Punk, but he was the closest to him at this moment and even though it wasn't the same safety she felt with Punk, she felt safe with Dean.

"You're ok… it's all over." Dean soothed, hugging her tightly, wanting her to feel safe and calm, knowing that her stress and worry would be affecting the baby.

_With Punk…_

Punk had managed to take out two guys, two guys out of 10, which left 8 hungry, jacked up guys ladeling into him, not giving him a breath of fresh air. All he could think about was how stupid he was to make Dean and Seth leave his side, he needed them, otherwise he was already dead.

It got to a point where he could hardly see anything from the blood over his face, he couldn't breathe right from his assumed broken ribs and his full body felt even worse than what it felt the morning after the car crash he was in. He didn't like to be seen begging or pleading, but it was his only choice, not that his begs and pleads was making a difference.

"Alright alright boys…" Joe limped in, his leg busted up from the beating Punk gave him earlier, stopping the men crowded around Punk, "Leave him alone." He announced.

Punks eyes were rolling to the back of his head every now and then, his hands were clawing at the ground and he was trying so hard to get to his feet but it just wasn't happening.

"Pick him up." Joe ordered, walking over to the seat that AJ was sitting on earlier, sitting it facing the door as two men picked Punks lifeless body up from the ground, "Sit him down." Joe said as the two men recklessly sat Punk down.

Joe then collected rope from his table and tied Punks hands behind his back on the chair. Punk couldn't even fight it, his body was already shutting down.

"I hope this teaches you a lesson not to mess with my workers, my gangs and my family." Joe said, circling Punk as the men around him started to cover the room in acids and alcohol.

"I'm sure that girlfriend of yours and that baby will be better off without you anyway… I can already see it, her telling the kid how his dad died a hero… we all know that isn't true though, is it…" Joe said, the men in the room leaving, only Joe and Punk left as the room was covered in alcohol.

Joe walked over to his table and picked up the box of matches, lighting one and waving it around in Punks face, "Enjoy." Joe smiled, dropping the match on the ground as it caught alight to the alcohol around the floor and furniture.

Joe quickly escaped, shutting the door and locking it with a key that only he had, smiling as he walked away with his men behind him, heading for the door.

Seth was standing outside the builiding, having waited an hour and a half now for Punk, feeling anxious and worried about his friend. Being beside himself on wither to go in or not, he finally made his mind up when Joe burst out the door with men following behind, the smell of smoke immediately escaping the building.

Seth quickly hid at the side of the building, waiting for them to get lost out of the parking lott before making his move and sprinting into the building, heading for the room they were in previously and realised it was locked, smoke escaping from the bottom and top of the locked door, the sound of fire burning inside and faint coughing from Punk.

"Punk!" Seth screamed as he banged at the door, "Phil!" He kicked and punched the door, looking around for help, knowing he wouldn't find anything.

He took his jacket off and covered it round his mouth, turning his body side ways and connecting his body with the hard wooden door, not succeeding first time but second, breaking the door down as he tumbled into the fire, not an inch of the room not alit.

He kept his jacket over his mouth, not letting himself inhale any smoke as his body burned through the fire, searching for his best friend who was in deep deep danger, his life hanging on by a thread.

Once Seth got to Punk, making his way round to the back to untie the rope, he spoke up, "C'mon Punk, hang in there…" Seth coughed, his hands shaking as he untied Punk's hands, "Don't do this to me Punk, you're going to be a father… C'mon…" Seth said through his jacket, finally getting Punks hands untied and having to literally pick Punk up from the chair, carrying him out of the fire as he battled the flames with his own body, to get his best friend to safety.

Finally getting out of the room, Seth collapsed just outside in the hall with Punk lying beside him, finally taking a look at Punks body and face, he almost got a fright, looking at his own arms and hands gave him a fright to. Burns everywhere. He had got there just in time, otherwise Punk would have been burnt to a crisp.

Seth not only could see burns on Punk, but he could see that he was covered in blood, his t-shirt was half ripped and his face looked like a cat had spent hours clawing at it. He didn't look good in other words.

Seth turned his attention back to the fire, watching as the flames travelled up the walls and to the ceiling. Any normal person knew that wasn't good, that the whole building could cave in and go up in smokes in just a matter of minutes.

Seth got back to his feet, ignoring the blisters on his hands and arms, grabbing Punk up to his feet and lifting it up again, as hard as it was, the determination to get his best friend to safety was strong at this point.

"C'mon…" Seth said to himself, as if encouraging himself, flexing his muscles with Punk on his back as he carried him all the way out of the building, continuing to walk as far up the car park as possible, just in time to collapse and watch the full building explode, covering his eyes and shielding Punks body with his own, not wanting any more damage on Punk as what he already had.

Once it was clear and the sound of fire engines were brought to his attention in the distance, he lay flat on his back beside Punk, catching his breath and crunching his face up at the sting and pain of his arms and neck, the blisters and burns stinging so bad, he didn't want to even think about how Punk was feeling… if he was feeling.

"Punk…" Seth turned to Punk, looking at the side of Punks face, burnt and blistered worse than his, "C'mon Punk…" Seth said, hearing the fire engines and ambulance get closer and closer, as well as seeing a car pull up just behind all the flashing lights.

Seth just turned his head back around and faced up at the black sky, hearing the cars and engines right in front of him now, paramedics rushing to Punk first after seeing that his eyes were open. He could also hear Dean being held back by police in the distance, hearing him cursing and screaming to get through to see his two friends yet all Seth hoped was that AJ and the baby was ok.

Dean had drove back to the warehouse to collect Seth and Punk, figuring they would be waiting and that AJ would be alright in the hospital alone, she was safe there after he hugged her for a good 15 minutes, she was even beginning to fall asleep, so he figured she would love to wake up to Punk, but the plans were out the window.

"C'mon, let me through, their my friends!" Dean scrambled with the police and paramedics, someone having to hold him up when Punks body was stretchered past him, the side of his face showing being the worst side, covered in burns and blisters, "Punk!" Dean shouted.

"Sir… you really need to calm down, we're trying to help your friends the best we can… please stay back." A paramedic insisted to Dean.

Next to get stretchered past was Seth who was moving and looking around, nodding over to Dean as he went by, "Seth…" Dean said as Seth got carted off with Punk in the ambulance.

Dean ran his hands through his hair multiple times, gaining some control and standing still on his own as the firemen hosed down the burning building and the ambulance sirened off into the night with his two lifelong, best friends, both equally injured, one from trying to save his pregnant girlfriend, one from trying to save his friend who was trying to save his pregnant girlfriend. He quickly got back into his car and darted off behind the ambulance into the night, his hands shaking on the steering wheel and fearing for his friends lives.

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	27. Chapter 27

AJ had woke up half way through the night, looking around the empty room with worry and fear, still terrified of the encounters that happened just hours ago and wondering why Punk and Seth hadn't come to see her, or why Dean hadn't come back. She was still an emotional wreck, not to sure where her head was at but oh so thankful that her and her baby were in safe hands now and in hospital, now all she wished for was Punk.

She pressed the buzzer beside her bed that she was now sitting up on, wanting someone's attention so she could ask if any men had been in to see her or were in the building.

"Are you alright Miss?" A nurse came into the room with a smile, speaking low with how late it was through the night.

"Yeah… has anyone been here to see me, a man with tattoo's, wearing a black t-shirt…" AJ said, recalling what Punk was wearing.

"Erm… not a man with tattoo's… however, the man who was here earlier, with the blonde hair, he's up in the ER and burns unit in the waiting room." She said, "Would you like me to fetch him?" She asked.

AJ just nodded silently as the nurse walked back out the door.

AJ sank back into the bed in confusion, wondering why Dean would be upstairs waiting in the ER and burns department, she hoped Seth or Punk weren't injured or hurt.

A few anticipated minutes later, Dean walked through the door with his head hanging low and his hands in his pockets.

"Dean…" AJ propped herself up on the bed with her hands as Dean came and took a seat next to the bed beside her, "Where is Punk?" She asked.

Dean just ran his hands over his mouth and looked at AJ with sympathetic eyes. He felt ever so guilty for all this stress and unneeded harm that AJ had been through these past hours, he seemed to be the only one who was still standing tall.

"He's up in ER with Seth." Dean said, "I'm going to be blunt with you, because you don't deserve to be fooled or lead on…" Dean said, watching AJ just stare at him, "Punk doesn't look to good, AJ." Dean shook his head, watching her just blink a few times and look away from him.

"What do you mean… What happened?" She asked.

"There were more guys, lots of them… he's hurt real bad. He's struggling to breathe on his own and their taking him for a CT scan in a few hours." Dean said, "And…" He watched as AJ rolled her eyes with tears coming out of them, not wanting to listen to anymore, "I don't know the full details, Seth was finding it hard to talk to me… there was a fire, they locked him in a room on fire and Seth went in to save him, they're both covered in burns… Punks are a little worse." Dean said, watching as AJ just placed her hand on her forehead.

AJ had never felt such heart ache than what she did with Dean telling her how much pain Punk seemed to be in at this moment in time, she just wanted to see him, give him a kiss to tell him it would be ok. If it wasn't for him god knows what would have went on with her and Joe. She was a mess and she just wanted erase these past nights.

"Can I see him?" She asked, looking up at Dean who just hung his head to the ground in deep sadness.

"They wouldn't even let me see him, said they didn't want to upset me." Dean shrugged.

AJ just sighed, knowing that was an easy way of saying that Punk looked like death and that seeing him would upset everyone who loved him.

"Is he going to be ok?" AJ asked, only hoping that Dean would say yes. She couldn't live without Punk, she needed him, their baby needed him, he couldn't just leave her, in such a painful way too. She was such a mess, knowing that he was in so much pain, imagining those horrible men beating him down to the ground, no one there to help him. It broke her heart in two.

"They said it was too early to tell. If he starts breathing on his own then that will be a good start." Dean said, completely exhausted by the nights turn of events, he hadn't slept in 24 hours and in those 24 hours he had never felt so scared, upset and alone as what he had, it made him realise how empty it felt to have both his buddies lying in hospital beds, one not even breathing right and the other so drugged up on pain relief that he couldn't even speak. He couldn't even imagine what it would be like to lose one of them, but two of them… he'd be lost.

"You should sleep." AJ said, catching Dean's eyes shutting every now and then, watching him try to fight it and stay awake for her.

"I don't want to leave you." Dean said, finding this chair rather comfy. Maybe if he fell asleep, he would wake up to good news that both his friends were on the mend to getting better.

"Sleep." AJ said, "I'll call Renee and tell her you're ok and what's going on." AJ said, watching him nod and lean his head back on the armchair, in a count of three seconds he was out cold.

It wasn't even a good sleep, it was like an unconscious worried sleep, different things floating around at the back of his mind, not relaxed in the slightest but his body just shutting off from being on his feet all this time.

AJ waited until he was fully asleep before getting off the bed she was lying on, taking her zipper from the bottom of it and putting it on, zipping it up and exiting the room quietly. She needed to see him, even if there was a slight chance of her getting to see him she was taking it, nothing could ever scare her away from him.

She arrived out the elevator on the ER and burns department, immediately asking where Seth and Punk were, out of nerves and bad habit, she accidentally asked the nurse where Punk was and not Phil.

"I mean Phil… Phil Brooks and Seth Rollins." She shook her head.

"Oh… right." The nurse's smile dropped, "Mr Rollins is awake in his room if it's him you're looking for. Mr Brooks isn't stable enough for visitors at the moment." The nurse said with a sad smile.

"But I'm his girlfriend… I just want to see him." AJ begged with a lump in her throat.

"I will find you as soon as he is stable and well enough for visitors, it's too soon right now I'm afraid. But Mr Rollins is just down there in room 38." She pointed down the long corridor with lots of rooms.

"Ok." AJ nodded, "Thanks." She said, knowing that the nurse wasn't trying to deliberately keep her away from Punk. She was a nurse, she knew how it felt to have visitors plead to see critically injured patients when they just couldn't, so she dropped it easily and walked on down the corridor to pay Seth a visit, maybe he could tell her what actually happened instead of a messy, tired, shaken up Dean.

"Hey…" AJ knocked at the door as she walked into the room, watching Seth turn round, the side of his face with dressings on it, his hands and arms blistered and burned. AJ was a little taken back and overwhelmed, remembering that Dean told her that the nurses told him that Punks burns were worse.

"Hey." Seth smiled, watching AJ walk nervously towards him, watching her take a good look at his arms and face, "It's alright." He said, "They'll heal." He smiled to her.

"How are you feeling?" AJ asked him, taking a seat on the armchair beside the bed, resting her hand on her bump as she looked at him, examining his burns and wincing herself at how sore they looked.

"Sore, but I'll live." Seth said, "Is the baby ok?" He asked.

"He's fine." AJ smiled, "Dean passed out on the chair downstairs, he's a mess." She told Seth.

"Yeah, he was a little frightened of me when he came in." Seth laughed a little, "How is…" He nodded to her.

"They won't let me see him. He's not breathing on his own yet." AJ said.

"I done everything I could. I couldn't have got to him any quicker…"

"Hey…" AJ rested her hand on his, immediately taking it away when she felt the blistered scab on it, watching him wince when she touched it, "Sorry…" She mumbled… "If it wasn't for you, he might not even be here. I can't thank you enough." AJ said, really owing it to Seth, watching him just nod.

She stood up and lay a gentle kiss at his hairline were there wasn't any burns, "I'll let you get some sleep." She said, really thankful that Seth was there for Punk when he needed him to be.

Seth just smiled at AJ's kindness and watched her walk out of the room, leaving him to rest up.

Just as AJ walked out the door, she watched as Punk was whisked by her in a hospital bed. Her breath was caught away from her as her hand flung over her mouth, her eyes on him… his burns that started from one side of his face, all the way down his neck, much more severe and blistered than Seth's, it didn't even look like him, it looked like another man, he looked so full of pain, not promising of a speedy recovery. Her knees were weak and she couldn't feel any part of her body, he was more close to death than life at this point.

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	28. Chapter 28

AJ spent the majority of the night in the waiting room just outside the room they had taken Punk into when he came back for his CT scan. She was still a shaking mess waiting to find out the results and when she could finally see him, as much as it scared her.

"Miss, is everything alright?" A receptionist came to AJ's aid.

AJ stood at the reception of the ER department, wanting to know an update on Punk and how he was doing, no one had told her anything for hours.

"I just wanted to know how Phil is." AJ said, fidgeting with her hands nervously, her face all puffy and red from going to the toilet and crying every so often, she didn't know how long she could cope with this, the dead waiting.

"Good news is the CT scan went good, nothing we need to be concerned about and he's finally breathing on his own, however he's still in a very critical state." The receptionist said, having just head an update on Phil.

"Can't I see him?" AJ asked, she wanted to just sit with him, make sure he wasn't alone and scared when he woke up, to let him know her and the baby were fine.

"We're only allowing family at the moment." The receptionist said with a frown.

"I am his family..." AJ said, watching her examine her wedding finger and look back at her with a sad smile, "O-Ok… we aren't married, but we're having a baby… doesn't that count, please… let me see him." AJ begged, not leaving this desk until she got a yes.

The receptionist leaned back in her chair with a sigh, thoughts running through her head on what to do, there was a strict policy about seriously hurt patients only being allowed blood relatives or wives in to visit, but she could see how much pain this was causing this women, she couldn't say no.

"Alright." The receptionist said with a sigh, calling a nurse round to take AJ to the room Punk was in.

AJ walked down the hall with the nurse, nervously shaking and preparing herself for the worse, she had only got a small glimpse of Punk when he was taken by her, but that little glimpse was enough to show how badly he was hurt.

"You can't touch him." The nurse said just as they approached outside the room.

"Why not?" AJ asked, that was the first thing she wanted to do.

"Miss… I don't know what you're expecting to see when you walk in here, I haven't seen burns like this in my life, for his and your safety, don't touch him." The nurse said very seriously.

"O-Ok." AJ nodded.

"If you need someone just press the buzzer in the room and we'll be right there." The nurse said, walking away from AJ, leaving her standing outside the room door with such fear and terror.

She wasn't scared of Punk, she could never be scared of him, no matter how injured or how bad his burns were, she was scared for him, would he still have these burns when the baby came, would he even be able to get out of hospital for the baby arriving in four months, she was scared that everything they had planned to do when the baby got here, she was scared none of that would happen, she was scared for his health, how bad was his injuries, would he be back in crutches, how long would it be before she could touch him again, she was just so terrified and so angry at the same time that any man could deliberately leave a man in a burning room who had so much to lose.

She put her hand on the door handle and opened it slowly, walking in step by step as slow as she could.

She seen awful sites every day in work, she seen men and women come in with burnt arms and faces, it never really affected her, but seeing someone who she loved so much, so harmed and sore looking, it hurt her insides.

She looked over at him, he looked comfy which was a good thing, but he looked so incredibly sore all over. His burns were mostly situated on the side of his face and down one side of his neck, a few burns showing on his arms but not too much. His burns weren't everywhere, but the places they were looked terribly painful, red, scabbed, blistered and uncomfortable to have no doubt.

She walked over to him and looked at his lifeless body just lying there. She was just so glad he was here, yeah… he was in a lot of pain and would be probably for the next couple of months, but it was better than not having him at all, the fear of him not getting to meet his baby boy, or not getting to one day get married, or not being in her life anymore. It was a scary thought. She was just thankful that he was here, alive. She would do everything she could to get him back to his normal self, even if she was 5 months pregnant.

"It's alright." AJ said, about to talk his hand, quickly pulling back at the remembrance of the nurse.

She took a seat on the armchair next to the bed, "I'm here." She said with a deep sigh at their unfortunate series of events these past days, "We're here…" She rubbed her tummy gently, looking upon Punk who she wished would wake up soon, just so he could see her, to put him at ease that her and the baby were alright.

_A few hours later…_

AJ was still sitting in the room with Punk, having been watching him for at least 4 hours. In those four hours he had only moved once and when he did she could almost hear him crying as he done so, it killed her that she couldn't touch him to help him.

A nurse came in every so often to check on him, make sure his breathing was right and that he was comfy, this time however, Dean came in… she suspected Dean had bribed the receptionist to come in to.

She watched Dean take a deep breath when he saw Punk and the state he was in, she understood it would have been just as hard for him, not only that but Seth was also just a few doors down, he was much more stable but he was still hurt bad.

"How is he?" Dean asked AJ, after sleeping for a good few hours, feeling much better than what he did before, however the sight of Punk looking so ill and small made him feel so helpless.

"He's breathing on his own. The CT scan went fine, no damage or anything they should be concerned about, just his burns are pretty bad. They're waiting for him to wake up to give him some medication.

"Will… will they heal?" Dean asked, not wanting to hear that Punk would have these scars for life.

"I'm not sure. I haven't asked." AJ shrugged, hoping that wasn't the case.

"He kinda looks like terminator." Dean chuckled as he put his hands in his jean pockets, looking at Punk and then looking at AJ who gave him such a harsh stare.

"That isn't funny." She said bluntly, in no position to be laughing about anything.

"Look, we aren't spending the next few days mourning at his bedside like he's dying, you know what he's like… he wouldn't want you upset, just be thankful he's actually here." Dean rolled his eyes, knowing it was hard for AJ but she didn't need to be so serious, even though she had a right to be, she was just concerned, as was he, but he was always just trying to lighten in the mood and just be thankful that Punk was still with them.

"He must be in so much pain." AJ sighed, looking at Punk and back to Dean, "I just want to touch him and they want let me." She said with a lump in her throat.

"Just give it time, alright… it's for his own safety, the slightest touch is probably going to hurt him, you'll get to touch him soon enough." Dean frowned, "How is the baby?" He asked.

"Fine." AJ said, "He keeps kicking me, I think he knows something isn't right." AJ frowned, laying her hand on his bump.

"Just, don't worry… I know that means squat to you right now, but he's going to be alright… ok?" Dean smiled, if one thing he could do for Punk was to keep AJ calm and stress free, for the baby's sake, then of course he would.

AJ just nodded with a smile, appreciative of Dean's kindness and concern.

"I'm going to see Seth, I'll be along here if you need me." Dean said, "Maybe me and you can check into a hotel later, get washed and stuff because I feel disgusting, I'll call Renee and explain what's going on, fed up of being in this place." Dean said as he headed out the door.

AJ just nodded as he done so, really needing a shower, needing Punk more though.

She watched Dean leave out the door and then turned her attention back to Punk who when she did, had his eyes wide open, looking up at the ceiling as if he couldn't turn around.

"April…" Punk mumbled, lifting his good arm that wasn't hurt and reaching out for her, "Is that you?" He croaked through his cracked lips, not being able to turn his head to see who it was beside him. Everything was sore and when he said everything, he meant everything.

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	29. Chapter 29

"Phil." AJ said in disbelief, "You're awake." She said, not expecting him to be awake this early.

Punk just turned slowly, clenching his fists at the pain as he done so, wanting to see her face so badly, the last time he saw her she was bent over a table by another man. Finally turning his head on to his good side, looking at her, he smiled… not a single mark or bruise on her, he could rest easy now.

"Are you ok?" He asked anyway.

"Me…" AJ said in disbelief, "Phil, I'm fine… how are you feeling?" AJ asked him, examining him being awake now, not being able to not stare at the burns on the opposite side of his face.

"Like shit." He said but with a smile, "My face hurts." He said quietly, not wanting to admit to the pain, but man was he sore, he could hardly move his body.

"It will for a while." AJ frowned, "You're going to be ok though." She smiled, feeling so much better and put at ease now that he was awake and speaking to her.

"Is the baby ok?" Punk asked curiously, just to make sure.

"He's fine." AJ nodded, "He's been kicking for the past few hours. I don't think he likes you being in here." She said with a sad smile.

"I don't like me in here either buddy." Punk said, looking at her stomach, "Can you come give me a kiss?" Punk asked her, having expected her to be swaddling him with hugs and kisses.

"I can't touch you." AJ shook her head, "Your burns, they haven't been bandaged up yet like Seth's." AJ said, watching Punks face hit with sudden realisation.

"Is Seth ok? Where is he?" Punk said, wondering why Seth would have needed anything bandaged up.

"He pulled you out of the fire." AJ said, "Dean took me to the hospital when we got out of the warehouse, I wasn't feeling too good… Seth insisted that he stayed to get you after you came back out, but you didn't come out. Joe and his gang set the room on fire while you were tied to the chair unconscious, Seth ran in and got you out." AJ said, watching Punk sigh.

"Is he ok?" Punk asked AJ.

"He's fine. I spoke to him earlier, just needs some rest." She said.

"Ahh Mr Brooks." A doctor came into the room to break up their conversation, "Finally awake I see." The doctor said with a smile, placing his glasses on to his nose, "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Everything hurts." Punk said, not wanting any sympathy but… he really was in a lot of pain.

"I would suspect that, you came here in a very critical state, your airways were all blocked and you were having trouble breathing on your own, so it's good you overcame that obstacle… now, your burns… how are they feeling?" He asked, being a very sophisticated doctor.

"Itchy, stingy… sore." Punk said, not knowing how else to put it.

"Perfectly normal, your burns are the worst I have ever seen but that doesn't mean they won't heal, I'd give at a few months before they are healed, the scarring might stay, depending on how lucky you are really, sometimes it heals and you would never know you were burnt, so let's hope that's the case." The doctor said, "Now, your wife informed us that you don't like to take any drugs." The doctor said.

Punk wasn't even phased that they called AJ his wife, in fact he almost liked being asked a question about his wife, it was a nice word that he could see himself using in the future, "Well… I don't normally, but I don't think I can refuse." Punk said.

AJ noticed he didn't even correct the doctor when he said she was his wife, he just continued speaking, it was nice.

"Good, it will help you, I can guarantee… so, we're going to have you on strong morphine medication until you feel you can cope, I think your friend… Mr Rollins is it? We've put him on it and he seems to be feeling much better, so let's hope it's the same for you… now, ignoring the burns for a minute, you did come with other injuries, nothing to worry about but it will probably make things even more difficult for you." The doctor said as AJ and Punk listened closely.

"What are his other injuries?" AJ asked quickly.

"Well… when we took you for a CT scan, we also done a full body X-Ray, just to make sure things looked ok on the inside, we noticed a few broken ribs and your knee looked a little fractured on the bone, but apart from that, everything was fine." The doctor said.

"So, how long we talking for recovery…" Punk croaked, in real gasp for some water.

"Well, for the burns, 4-5 months, at least and then furthermore for the scarring to disappear, there is creams out there if you are that fussed about it." The doctor said.

Punk just rolled his eyes, in 4-5 months the baby would be here and he was probably going to frighten it with how he looked, he couldn't see himself, but he could feel how bad the burns were, "How long do I need to stay in here for then?" Punk asked.

"Well, I'd like to keep you and your friend in for a month, for personal safety." The doctor said.

"He can't get home for Christmas?" AJ asked with a saddened tone.

"No, I'm afraid not. But feel free to come in and join him on Christmas, bring presents… bring Christmas to him." The doctor smiled, not tearing anyone away from anyone, especially on Christmas.

AJ just nodded and looked to Punk who looked so angry yet in pain yet with a hint of sadness to him, he just didn't look happy.

"Alright…" The doctor looked at them both, "I'll be round later to take some blood tests and blood pressure from you and to give you your first dose of medication, I'll speak to you later." The doctor said, walking out of the room door.

"Prick." Punk muttered.

"Hey, he's trying to help you." AJ said, defending her own career.

"He's not letting me out for Christmas." Punk frowned.

"Well, you heard him… we'll bring Christmas to you… you and Seth. Just, focus on getting better, I don't like seeing you in this much pain." She frowned.

"I'd be in less pain if you gave me a kiss." Punk sighed dramatically.

"I'm not allowed to touch you." AJ said once again.

"Who gives a fuck, either come give me a kiss, or watch me unhook myself to all these monitors and force myself through all this pain to come kiss you." Punk said, feeling like such a disease and invalid that his own pregnant girlfriend couldn't give him a kiss.

AJ just smiled and stood up, walking over and pressing her lips against his softly, immediately hearing him start to cry into the kiss when he tried moving his jaw in motion to the kiss. AJ quickly pulled away, "What's wrong?" She asked.

"The skin on my face, it's moving… the burns…" Punk frowned, never having such a painful kiss like that in his life.

"Give it time baby." AJ said, reaching up and kissing his soft head just before the left side of his burns started, "It'll all be gone in no time." She reassured him, telling that he was scared in his eyes. He was sore and scared and that wasn't a good combination.

"You should go home and get some sleep, don't strain yourself around me, it won't be good for the baby…" Punk said, "Just make sure you come visit me." He said.

"Me and Dean were just going to check into a hotel tonight and come back over in the morning, just for the first few nights." AJ said, "I'm not leaving you." She said, "They'll probably bandage you up tonight, your ribs, your knee, take blood tests they need to and dope you up on pain relief, so you should get a good night sleep." She said. She was a nurse, she knew the routine.

"Just don't stress out over me, ok?" He said, "You said it yourself, I'm going to be ok. Just a lot of patience and rest, hopefully I'll be fine when the baby comes." Punk said, not wanting to be all burned and scarred for the arrival of their baby boy.

"It won't matter even if you are, just focus on you and take one day at a time." AJ said, "I'm just so glad you're still here… thought… thought I'd lost you." AJ said, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Can't get rid of me that easily." Punk said with a smirk, "You should go check into your hotel, get a good sleep, I'll see you in the morning, ok?" He said, wanting her to get her rest too.

"Ok." AJ nodded, "I love you." She said, pressing a kiss on his cheek that wasn't affected by the fire.

"I love you too." Punk smiled, watching her as she walked out of the room and shut the door behind her.

The hard effort to keep himself from crying from the horrible pain he was feeling and sights he was seeing. Every time he blinked or shut his eyes for a minute, he saw himself looking up at Joe and his gang, them looking down on him with pity, him crawling for forgiveness on his hands and knees. He was terrified and he was in so much pain, two combinations that he was never really used to. He was so glad he had at AJ at this moment, without her reassuring words and calming touch, he'd be a wreck.

He just hoped the pain would ease and he could make a speedy recovery, as well as Seth who he had a huge thank you to make to when he seen him.

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	30. Chapter 30

Later on in the night AJ found herself tucked up in her hotel room, lying in an empty double bed, her TV in the room on, just for sound comfort, she was barely listening or looking at it for that matter of fact, she was too busy thinking about Punk, hoping he would get a good sleep tonight, she hated how uncomfortable he looked today and was glad he was agreeing to take the morphine.

Lying in bed without him made her feel so cold and alone. She got up, throwing the covers back and walking round the bed to the small sitting area in the room, taking a seat on the couch just as the door knocked quietly.

She rolled her eyes and stood back up, holding her back as she walked round to answer it. She'd been on her feet for quite a while these past few days and her back was suffering from it, everything was ten times more exhausting when pregnant.

She opened the door to Dean standing in the hallway, watching him walk into the room.

"You ok?" She asked, shutting the door back over, looking over at the clock that read 11pm, wondering why Dean was wondering the halls at this time.

"Can't sleep." Dean shrugged, walking over and sitting at the end of the bed, his shoulders slumped down, she could almost swear he had been crying from the puffy face he was showing and the red bloodshot eyes.

"Me neither." AJ sighed, walking over and sitting beside him, resting her hand on her bump, "I can't stop thinking about him… both of them." She corrected herself, thinking about Seth too of course, just a little more concerned for Punk, the father of her baby who seemed to be in a worse state.

"I can't believe they aren't going to get home for Christmas." Dean sighed, running his hands through his tired face. They were both tired, exhausted, but they couldn't sleep from the thoughts of Dean and Seth sleeping rough.

"We'll just need to bring Christmas to them. Maybe if Seth is feeling ok, he could come down to Punks room, we could decorate the room, bring presents to them, Renee could drive up… anything to make things a little more cope able." AJ said, looking down at the ground.

"You really love him don't you?" Dean asked her, watching her as she looked up at him.

"I do." AJ nodded, "It's so hard seeing him like this." She sighed.

"I know." Dean nodded, "It's going to be hard, but they're both still here, and we got little junior to look forward to." Dean smiled as AJ returned the smile.

"I just hope Punk is feeling back to normal when he comes." AJ said, hoping that her boyfriend would be able to be by her side when she gave birth and to hold their son the minute he was born, otherwise it would be Dean, Renee or Seth if he was out before Punk, that would be accompanying her, she figured Renee would be the best option, Dean and Seth would be hopeless.

"It's Punk, knowing him he'll be up walking next week." Dean chuckled as AJ just faked a smile and laughed, both of them knowing that this wasn't something Punk could just shake off, maybe the injuries such as his broken ribs and messed up knee would heal before the baby came, but his burns were what she was most worried about.

Dean noticed how sad AJ was looking, the way she wasn't her normal smiley self, the way her head was hanging low with no joy or happiness, it was upsetting to see.

"So, Renee is driving up tomorrow, how about we go out and get decorations for the room, see what presents we can come up with, I'll treat my two favourite girls to some lunch, and my favourite kid." He looked at her stomach at the end, taking some responsibility while Punk was on bed rest for the next few weeks, taking as much care of AJ as he could, to keep her and the baby happy.

AJ just smiled at Dean's upbeat and positive attitude, it was nice to have a friend like him around.

"Yeah. Sounds nice." She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder as he gave her a friendly hug.

_The next day…_

After spending what AJ could only say a good day with Dean and Renee, in and out shops, buying presents and decorations, both AJ and Renee depending on Dean to lead them in the straight direction, keeping their minds away from the previous nights, she finally got to see Punk again who was now just in a ward, away from the ER and burns department, Seth literally two doors down from him, in a much warmer and comfier room.

"How'd you sleep?" AJ asked, taking her coat off and sitting it over the arm chair beside Punks bed, loving seeing him sitting up and looking much better, even if only one day had passed.

"Ok. Still can't touch or lean on this side of my face." Punk said, pointing to the left side of his face.

"Are the pain killers helping?" AJ asked, straightening her back as she stood straight, holding the bottom of it, where it was most painful. She probably shouldn't have spent the full morning walking around.

"Yeah, a lot." Punk said, feeling a little better than yesterday, his face not in constant pain the way it was thanks to the morphine, "You alright?" He asked, noticing AJ holding her back and taking deep breaths.

"Yeah, just my back…it's been sore…" She sighed, not wanting to complain about any pain she was feeling when Punk was laid up in bed, still barely being able to move.

"You should get it checked out." Punk said, looking over at the bags that AJ had brought in with her.

"No, I'll live…" AJ shook her head, wanting to focus on him for the time being.

"What's in the bags?" Punk asked, watching AJ walk round to the side of the room and close the curtains, the only light coming off the lamp on the table beside him.

"Well, since you and Seth aren't getting out for Christmas… Me, Dean and Renee got a few things today, you know… to make it a little more Christmassy in here." She said, "I checked it with the nurse and they gave us the go ahead." AJ shrugged, walking back round and taking different decorations out of the bag.

"April, you don't have to do that." Punk smiled sweetly to her.

"Yeah, I do. I'm not having you in here all bored and alone, we're celebrating our first Christmas, together." AJ said, this being hers and Punks first Christmas as a couple, it only being a month until their year anniversary of dating.

"Are you going to decorate Seth's room too?" Punk raised his eyebrows to her.

"Well, Seth's burns aren't as bad as yours, and he's not injured like you are either, so we're pretty sure we could manage to sneak him in here on Christmas day." AJ said, her and Dean having planned it all out.

Punk just smiled and watched her movement, watching as she started to build the miniature Christmas tree in the corner, seeing her smiling away to herself.

"AJ, you don't have to fake a smile to me, it's alright to get upset and lose strength." Punk said, knowing she was putting on a smile and a show, just to try and make him feel better, he saw right through it.

"What are you talking about?" AJ just chuckled, keeping her attention on the tree.

"Look at me." Punk said, watching her turn round to him, tucking one strand of her behind her ear, "It's alright… you don't need to pretend everything is ok." He said, watching her as she looked up, trying to not let any tears escape.

"I'm just so scared." She gasped with a cry, watching Punk strain himself to sit up straight, "I don't like seeing you like this… I couldn't sleep last night in the hotel because you weren't there when I turned round… I don't want you to leave me." She shook her head, her shoulders shaking as she cried silently in front of him.

"Come here." Punk said, waving his hand over to her as she walked around the bed, sitting on the edge softly as he wrapped his painful arms around her, "I'm not leaving you, alright…" Punk said, "I'm going to be just fine, four months from now… this is all just going to be a bad nightmare, we're going to have a beautiful baby boy, he's going to be so perfect, just like you… you aren't alone, April." Punk whispered softly as he ran his fingertips up and down her arms, listening to her sobs go quieter and quieter.

"I thought you weren't coming for me, I thought I was going to die, or our baby was going to die…" She said, feeling Punk just press her head in gently to his chest, his hand stroking her soft hair as he hugged her, it being painful but he didn't care, comforting her was more important.

"I was always coming, it'll never happen again, over my dead body." Punk said, comforting AJ as she howled in his arms, not letting go of him.

"Don't let go of me." AJ sobbed, holding on to Punk as he winced above her, but never daring to let go of her, she was emotional, she was vulnerable, dealing with this pregnancy on her own, living in the shadow of a nightmare now, he had to at least give her a hug, it was all he could do at this point.

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	31. Chapter 31

AJ stayed in Punks arms crying uncontrollably until Dean and Renee came through the door, awkward air filling the room as Dean looked on, Renee behind him.

Dean looked on, a painful sight that could only be described in one word, heartbreaking. AJ wasn't even phased that Dean had barged in the door, she was too busy spilling her heart and tears out while Punk stayed with her, looking over at Dean with a sigh as he caressed AJ.

"S-Sorry." Dean said quickly, looking at Punk who just stared back at him with a saddened face.

Dean turned back and walked back out the room quickly, taking Renee with him as they sat outside in the waiting room, Dean muttering to himself as Renee sat quietly beside him.

"She's just upset, probably more because she's pregnant." Renee said to Dean, reassuring him.

"Scum should have died." Dean rocked back and forth in the chair.

"What?" Renee shook her head in confusion.

"I should have done something, I should be in that hospital bed, not Punk, he has so much to recover for… this shouldn't have happened…" Dean continued to mutter to himself.

"Dean… just relax." Renee said.

"I can't… those guys are everything to me, I've grew up with them, cried with them, laughed with them, made memories with them, regretted things with them, they both look like cripples right now, one whose girlfriend was shot and one whose girlfriend was practically raped and kidnapped, what has made me so different? Why them? Why not me?" Dean looked at her with tears over his eyes, blinking as they rolled out onto his cheeks.

"Stop talking stupid, Dean." Renee tutted, "None of this was your fault. What Punk and Seth need right now, is for you to be there, to help look after AJ, to help look after them, don't go being crazy." Renee said, "We have to be strong." Renee said, resting her hand on Dean's lap.

"Do you have any idea how scared I was when I heard AJ had been taken, I thought we were going to lose her, not just her… but the baby…" Dean hung his head as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Well she's here and she and the baby are perfectly fine. Everyone is going to be fine and that's what matters." Renee said.

"I'd be a mess without you, you know that…" Dean looked at her, her blonde hair surrounding her perfect face as she gave him a sweet smile.

"I love you." Renee said, "For what it's worth… I'm glad it isn't you in they beds." She said, thankful that her man was fine.

"I love you." Dean said, "So much." He cupped her cheeks and pressed his lips against hers, giving each other strength to get through this obstacle with a smile on their faces.

Meanwhile back in the room, AJ had managed to find some composure and stopped the tears from flowing, getting out of Punks arms and standing up straight.

"I really need to lie down." She said, holding her hand across her forehead, feeling extremely hot and bothered, her head pounding from the constant crying and feeling dizzy from lack of sleep.

"AJ, go home and sleep. I'm not going anywhere, please… for the baby." Punk said, beginning to really worry about AJ's health and well-being, as much as he was trying to focus on himself, she still came first in his mind.

"N-No… I need to stay with you, I don't want you to be alone." She shook her head.

"I'm not asking you, AJ… I'm telling you." Punk looked at her seriously, he wasn't having her hang around the hospital all days and nights.

AJ just looked at him, hugging her arms as he stared at her, his eyes demanding but tired.

"Ok." AJ muttered, seeing Punk give off a smile of relief.

"Ok." Punk smiled with a nod, "Get Dean to drive you home and back, get as much sleep as you can, ok?" He said, watching her just nod with a sigh, walking over to him and sitting back on the edge of the bed beside him.

"I love you." AJ said, pressing a soft kiss on his lips, pulling away from him.

"On a scale of one to ten, how bad does my face actually look?" Punk asked her, having not seen his burns yet, not admitting it but… he was actually a little frightened.

"Ten." AJ smiled, cupping the good side of his cheeks, "You're always a ten." She smiled to him, still following in love all over again every time she looked into his eyes.

Punk just smiled and pecked her lips one last time, appreciating her sweetness, trying to ignore her tired eyes that were looking at him so innocently.

"Do you want me to bring you anything when I come to see you tomorrow?" AJ asked, standing off the bed and getting her things together, doing her coat up and leaving the decorations for a nurse to do it or for her to finish it tomorrow night. Punk was right, she was so tired… she could have fell asleep standing up, she needed rest, not just for her, but for their baby who Punk was concerned about.

"No, just yourself." He smiled, getting comfy as he lay down in bed, screwing his full face up at the pain of his body, his morphine medication starting to wear off in time for the next doze due soon.

"Alright…" AJ said as she turned round to him, ready to leave, taking Punks advice and planning to go straight home, into her pyjamas and into her bed, her mind set on how things were going to be just fine and that she had so much to look forward to, like her beautiful baby boy being born, or Punk recovering and coming home, she didn't need to be getting upset the way she was, her hormones were just everywhere and she just wanted Punk not to be in so much pain.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night sleep." AJ smiled, walking towards him and planting a kiss on his head, smiling as she headed out of the room, leaving him to get his rest as a nurse walked into the room just as she left, to give him his last doze of morphine for the day, to keep the pain down for when he went to bed.

AJ went out to the waiting room where Dean and Renee were sitting, "Dean…" AJ said, standing in front of them.

"Sorry AJ… I didn't mean to interrupt…"

"Can you take me home? Punk is insisting I go home and sleep and come see him tomorrow." AJ said with a pleading smile.

"Yeah, sure… of course." Dean nodded, standing up with Renee behind him, "He's right… gotta keep the little man in their happy." He pointed to her stomach as she smiled and rested her hand on her bump, following them both out of the hospital and to the car.

Everything was going to be ok, she just had to look to the future and believe that everything would work out, Punk would be out in a few months, scarring or not she loved him like she hadn't loved anyone before and she didn't want to spend her life with anyone but him. It was Punk, he would come out fighting, he always did.

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	32. Chapter 32

When AJ got home, the first thing she done was go straight into the kitchen to tidy up what had gone on before she was taken and Punk was knocked out, she abruptly washed the floors and scrubbed the kitchen counters, as well as cleaning the full living room.

After getting that done, she finally headed upstairs. On her way to her bedroom, she walked into the baby's room, turning the light on and looking at the empty room that had just been painted blue. They were meant to be ordering furniture these past couple of days, but that was the last thing on her mind. The room looked cold and empty, just an empty room with blue walls, nothing to symbolise that it was for their baby boy, she knew it would be perfect though when the baby decided to come.

She switched the light off and shut the door over, heading into her and Punks room and shutting the door over, quickly getting her pyjamas on before she fell asleep standing up. She paused a little, side on at the mirror, looking at her bump and how big it had actually got over these months and shocked to know she had another four months to grow.

She loved having that pregnant feeling up until now, she loved how Punk would spend hours talking to the baby before they went to bed, or how they would spend hours in clothes shops, picking up bits and pieces for the baby, people wondering by and smiling at how happy they looked, she loved being pregnant whilst Punk would make love to her, as difficult as it was becoming with her bump growing, they always seemed to manage just fine. Being pregnant wasn't the same without Punk with her and it made her upset.

She pulled back the ready-made bed covers and sat on the edge of the bed, grabbing the framed picture of her and Punk, just before she found out she was pregnant. Her smile was as big as it ever was and ever would be, he made her so happy, he had done for at least a year now, she couldn't imagine her life without him now.

She lay down slowly, lying on her back as the house silenced itself without Punks laughter and un funny jokes. She shut her eyes and fell into a deep sleep right away, needing her rest and sleep for not only her but their baby, she wouldn't risk putting him in any danger.

_With Punk…_

Punk had been flicking through the TV channels in his room for the past half hour, thinking about AJ and hoping she would be safe and get some sleep through the night. Just as he was about to turn his TV off and get some sleep himself, he seen light creep in from the door as someone walked in, turning the big light on in the room, revealing the two toned hair of black and blonde.

Punk smiled but then it faded when Seth turned round and exposed his burnt face at the side, as well as his blistered and scabbed over arms.

"Alright, so I'm stuck in this gown thing and you get to wear t-shirt and sweatpants." Punk said, looking at Seth who was supporting black sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt.

"My burns are just on my face and arms… Dean and Renee went out and bought me these yesterday to wear. You'll get to wear something soon." Seth said, walking over towards Punk and sitting down on the arm chair.

"Are mines worse?" Punk asked him, looking for honesty.

"Yeah." Seth nodded, "They'll heal though." Seth nodded.

"Yeah." Punk just frowned and looked down, "Listen… I really want to say thank you, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't even be here, I wouldn't get to hold my son or marry AJ one day or spend my life with her, so thank you… seriously." Punk smiled to him.

Seth just nodded, appreciating the thanks, looking at Punks burns and wondering if he could have done something to be quicker at getting him out of the fire.

"How is AJ?" Seth asked him, clasping his hands together, feeling the mild burns stretch out on his arms in pain.

"She's holding up, I guess. I'm worried about her…she looks terrible, she has a sore back, she isn't sleeping…" Punk just lay his head back on the pillow, "I can't even kiss her." He chuckled at the stupidity of it.

"Jaw movement?" Seth pointed to his jaw, "I'd be the same, don't have anyone to kiss though, do I?" He laughed as Punk just looked at him with sympathy.

Punk just smiled to him, "Looking forward to a tucked up Christmas in this place?" He said with a sarcastic smile.

"Yeah." Seth laughed, "Definitley." He rolled his eyes, "Just aslong as we're all together, it'll be great regardless." He said.

"Yeah." Punk smiled, "Pass me the mirror, will you?" Punk said, pointing to the mirror in the corner.

"You sure?" Seth asked him, standing up and picking the mirror up.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, wanting to take a look at himself and the burns, the situation he was dealing with.

Seth just nodded and passed him the hand mirror, watching Punk hesitate slowly as he brought it up to his face.

Punk was prepared for the worse, he was prepared to look at a completely different reflection, but to his surprise, he looked like him, the same Punk, just with a rather blistered left side and neck. He studied the burns closely, looking at how scabbed and sore they looked, but knowing inside him that these would heal and he wouldn't be left with scars to show for it. So would Seth, they were fighters, didn't get weighed down by anything, especially not this.

"Want me to finish this tree?" Seth asked, looking at the half built up tree in the corner that AJ had started.

"Yeah, if you're up to it." Punk said, putting the mirror down as Seth went over and made the tree up.

The rest of the night, Seth spent decorating the room and speaking to Punk, both of them laughing and joking around as much as they could, still both feeling weak, especially Punk.

It made Punk realise, that he could have all the burns in the world, he could be on bed rest for life, but the people he loved would always be there to keep him smiling, he was convinced he had some of the best friends in the world, and not to mention the best girlfriend ever who was the strongest woman he knew.

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	33. Chapter 33

_The next morning…_

After AJ slept all the way through the night until 11am the next morning, she got up and went in for a shower to waken herself up. She was glad she slept all through the night, she definitely needed it and was feeling so much brighter for it.

After taking a long warm shower, she got into her clothes for the day and began packing a bag for Punk. She figured they would be letting him change into clothes soon, so she packed his basketball shorts and sweat pants, giving him the option, and a few light cottoned t-shirt, so they wouldn't irritate his arms, as well as socks and other needed clothing. She also packed him some sweets, she understood he probably was losing the taste in his mouth with all the disgusting hospital meals.

After she had a bag ready for him, she made herself some breakfast, hesitating as she stood in the kitchen, remembering the last time she was here she was being held at knife point, her baby boy in danger by they horrible, horrible men.

"AJ, you up?" Dean called into the house as he walked in through the front door, having always had a spare key for Punks house.

"In the kitchen!" AJ called back to him, standing at the sink and washing the few dishes that was left from when they were gone, watching Dean come through the kitchen door.

"Hey, how'd you sleep?" Dean asked, coming in with a bright smile, having had a good night sleep.

"Good." AJ smiled, drying her hands with the dish towel.

"You ready to go?" Dean asked her, looking over at the bags AJ had clearly packed.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, feeling more positive about things today, following Dean out of the house and locking up, throwing the bags in the trunk and getting in the back seat of the car with Renee while Dean drove on ahead to the hospital downtown.

"Did you pick up things for Seth?" AJ asked Dean and Renee after the half an hour drive to the hospital, getting out of the car and walking into the hospital.

"Yeah." Renee held up the bag that they had gathered some of Seth's clothes and different essentials in.

AJ just nodded with a smile, getting up to Punk and Seth's ward, finding both Punk and Seth in Punks room to their surprise.

"Hey." AJ smiled, walking through the door first.

"Hey." Punk smiled, sitting up in bed as AJ came over and gave him a soft hug, not squeezing him too much, "How are you?" Punk asked her as she dropped her bags.

"Good." AJ smiled, pressing her lips against his softly, feeling him try to kiss back but stopping himself from hurting, she continued to just press her lips softly against his until she pulled back and kissed his cold nose before walking over to Seth and giving him a hug whilst Dean and Renee spoke to Punk.

They'd really all became such a tight bunch, they were all best friends inside and out and were always there for each other when needed, there weren't a group of friends like them.

After things had calmed down and AJ had unpacked the bag she packed for Punk, they finally were all sitting down comfortable, exchanging smiles and small talk with each other.

AJ, as much as she knew she shouldn't have, was lying up beside Punk, of course not putting her full weight on him, but just enough to feel him, warning him to tell her if she was hurting him, which she wasn't, he was liking her comfort just as much as she was.

Dean sat on the chair beside one side of the bed with Renee sitting on his lap, whilst Seth sat on a chair round the other side of the bed.

"Feel that?" AJ whispered up to Punk with a smile, his hand on her stomach as their son kicked.

"Yeah." Punk smiled, Dean, Seth and Renee speaking over them in their conversation as they talked quietly to themselves.

"You look much better today." AJ smiled to him, noticing how much better Punk looked, he was back to his normal tanned colour and his burns were blistering pretty quickly into scabs, he'd also mentioned to her that his knee and ribs were feeling better and that moving around in bed was becoming less painful, which was good to hear.

"So do you." Punk smiled to her, noticing how much brighter and fresher she looked from yesterday, her brown eyes were opened wide and alert, her smile had appeared back on her face and she seemed to be much happier.

"Hey…" Dean said, "Let's turn the lights on." Dean said, noticing it was getting dark outside as he stood up with Renee, closing the curtains and going to the switches for the Christmas lights, turning the ones on the tree on and the other decorative lights that hung along the cabinets in the room, making the room look very festive indeed.

"Looks good." Seth smiled, looking around the festive room, this being the first Christmas he hadn't spent with just Punk and Dean, there were two amazing new friends he was celebrating with, two girls that to him, were on the same level as Claire was, obviously in a different type of way. It was nice to be all together and to be thinking positive.

AJ just hugged Punk as lightly as she could, smiling up to him as he chuckled down to her, this was bizarre, all of them had lost their marbles, they were sitting in a hospital room filled with tinsel and Christmas lights and decorations, to him it was insane, but he had all his friends with him, all the people that meant the most to him, he didn't care if it was a hospital, a warehouse, a house, a park, a stadium… he could be anywhere with these guys and it would still be great.

"I'm just going to get my phone." Seth stood up, heading out of the room, leaving Punk, Dean, AJ and Renee talking amongst themselves.

Since Seth wasn't injured anywhere else, all he was recovering from was his burns on his face and arms, he could walk fine and just as normal unlike Punk who will probably be a bit stiff when he got the chance to get out of bed.

Walking along the corridor, clearly not paying attention, he seemed to have bumped into a women on her way walking down the corridor, bumping into her so hard that she seemed to drop her books and folders.

"S-Sorry…" She muttered, bending down to collect her books when he had already bet her to it, looking at him as he handed her the books she had dropped. She stared at his face, seeing through his burns and smiling at his smile and his ridiculous hair, getting lost in his eyes the minute they locked with hers.

"It's fine." Seth smiled, both of them standing up straight.

"I didn't see you there." The girl said, hugging her books into her as she looked up at him.

"Clearly." Seth chuckled, "You studying here or something?" He asked curiously, wondering why a young women such as herself, was wondering the hospital with books and folders on health care, but yet not wearing a uniform.

"Yeah." The girl nodded, "I've only been here a few days." She said.

"Well… I'm Seth." Seth extended his hand to her with a smile, having not seen such a beautiful women like her since Claire, falling in love with her pale skin and adorable nervous smile.

"Paige." The black haired woman shook his hand, "Nice to meet you." She smiled.

"Pleasure." Seth said, detaching his hand from hers as she smiled at him.

"See you around, Seth." Paige smiled, walking on by him as Seth turned to watch her walk away, catching her turn her head back to glimpse at him again with a hidden smile from her black hair covering it, continuing to walk down the corridor with her head turned back to his paused body in the middle of the corridor.

Seth had never seen such beauty like that in his life, she was… she was perfect.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**

**Just little filler chapters for the time being, apologies for them being so short, they will gradually get back to being longer, no worries. Thanks for all the REVIEWS so far, much appreciated.**


	34. Chapter 34

After a night of Dean getting told to be quiet by various nurses and threatened to be thrown out, it wasn't until past midnight where Dean, Renee and AJ left to go home, having spent the night in the festive room, enjoying each other's company, Seth being extremely quiet.

AJ was happy going home, she was happy how much stronger Punk was looking and how positive everyone was being to help her, she really did have the best of friends, and the best boyfriend.

On Seth's way back to his room, he spotted Paige, the girl he couldn't get off his mind for the full night, sat over in the corner of the sitting area, her head in her books as she wrote down things.

"Bit late for homework." He edged his way over to her, not being able to help himself.

"It's not homework." Paige looked up at him for a minute, getting butterflies when she seen that gorgeous smile and stupid hair that she was actually getting fond of already, "I'm taking notes." She looked up at him.

"At 1am?" Seth chuckled, his hands in his sweat pants pockets, taking a seat beside her as she hided the paper she was writing on.

"Shouldn't you… be in bed or something?" Paige asked him, shutting her books over quickly. She was surprised at how much she didn't even care for his burns, she could see through them, she seen a sweet man who had obviously been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Maybe." Seth shrugged, "I know you aren't taking notes." He smiled to her as she just rolled her eyes at his true senses.

"What am I doing then?" Paige folded her arms onto her closed books.

"I don't know. But it's not taking notes." Seth said, "Let me see…" He said, holding his hand out in reach for her books.

Paige hesitated, but trusted this man which she didn't know why, she hadn't even known him for a full day yet, but she trusted him regardless. She handed her the book underneath all the medical and training folders she was also holding.

Seth just smiled and opened the book, surprised to see some of the best drawings he had ever seen, so many of them, so detailed and perfected, interesting and intriguing, he almost got lost in them just as much as he got lost in her.

"These are good… really good." Seth said as he turned to her, watching her shy away and brush her hair behind her ear, "You'd get good money for these." He turned his attention back to the drawings.

"Try telling my dad that." Paige rolled her eyes, watching him look through the drawings with such amazement.

"He doesn't like them?" Seth asked curiously, not knowing any creature in the world that wouldn't appreciate the gift this girl had.

"He likes them." Paige nodded, "He likes me being a doctor more." She hugged her arms.

Seth understood the situation she was in. Her father was one of they stuck up guys that planned out their kids life for them, instead of letting them be who they want to be.

"Well I like you more as an artist." Seth smiled, closing the book over and handing it back to her, "You're really talented." He said, watching her as she just smiled his way, already addicting him to her cute smile.

"Thank you." Paige smiled, placing her books in her bag as he stood up.

"I'm off to my room now. Maybe I'll see you around." Seth said, standing up and watching her look up quickly.

"I'll eh… I'll walk with you." Paige said, quickly standing to her feet and swinging her back over her shoulder, walking along the hall slowly with him, seeing him at the side of her eye, staring at her.

She didn't know what it was about this man, but she didn't want to leave him incase she never saw him again, he was cute and charismatic with a chip on his shoulder that she really liked.

"How long you here for?" Seth asked her, walking along the hall as slow as he possibly could, wanting to stall as much time as possible with her.

He remembered this feeling he was having, it was the exact same feeling he felt when he laid eyes on Claire, but shamefully… it felt better.

"A few weeks." She replied to him, facing him as he paused outside his room.

"I haven't done this in a long time." Seth whispered quietly as she looked up at him in confusion, "But… would you like to go on a date with me?" Seth asked, jumping right in head first, knowing if he didn't he would end up sleeping tonight and thinking about all the reasons why he shouldn't ask her out.

"Um…" Paige was a little taken by surprise, but a good surprise, "I'd like that." She smiled, watching him smile in relief her way, "How long have you been admitted to here?" She asked him.

"A month… but I can sneak out." Seth said, not waiting a month to go on a date with this woman.

"Sneak out?" Paige chuckled.

Seth couldn't help the smile as she chuckled, her laughter sounding like angels singing, her sweet smile appearing when she done so.

"Yeah, no one will notice." He waved his hand out in exaggeration, "Don't make me wait." He batted her eyes into her, watching her slowly nod, her eyes looking straight into his.

"Here's my number." Paige smiled, that being another word for agreeing to go on a date with him, ripping a piece of paper off from her books and writing her number down, handing him the paper over.

Paige just smiled and walked off down the long corridor, getting towards the end and feeling her phone vibrate in her pocket. She stopped and looked back at him still standing outside his room door, his phone pressed against his ear as he called her.

She chuckled at him from the distance and answered.

"Hello." She answered politely, like she didn't know who it was.

"Hello… would this happen to be a beautiful… beautiful, black aired, artist in the making woman that I just spoke to a few minutes ago." Seth said in a polite manner, hearing her chuckle through the phone and from down the hall.

"Maybe." Paige said into the phone, "Can I help you?" Paige asked.

"Tomorrow. 7pm. Meet me outside in the parking lott." Seth smiled as he hung up on the phone call, looking down the corridor at her before entering into his room and shutting the door over.

Paige just smiled as she watched him disappear into his room, smiling to herself as she left the building in a great mood.

_The next day…_

"Dean volunteered to finish the nursery, you know… while you're in here, so he's staying at home today to do it." AJ said, arriving at the hospital again to visit Punk.

"Did you order furniture?" Punk asked, really wishing he could be the one finishing the nursery and picking out furniture.

"Yeah, we did it last night. Just stuck to simple colours." She smiled, "How you feeling today?" She asked.

"Better… they're thinking about getting me out of bed later." Punk said as she sat down beside him on the chair beside the bed.

"That's good, I see they let you change last night. Did you manage ok?" She asked, seeing him with the sweat pants and t-shirt on that she brought him yesterday.

"Yeah, I think it's just my burns that they're worried about now, as soon as they get given the all clear, should be out in no time." Punk said with a smile, watching AJ take a deep breath as she held her stomach.

"You ok?" Punk asked her curiously, sitting up in bed as he watched her.

"Yeah… just, since I woke up this morning… my stomach has been feeling weird." AJ said, trying to shake off the weird gripping feeling in her stomach.

"You should get it checked out." Punk said, concerned for his girlfriend and son.

AJ was beside herself about getting it checked out, but as soon as another sharper, longer pain came up her abdomen, she told Punk to call for someone.

Immediately a nurse came into the door and headed straight for Punk, realising it wasn't even Punk who was in need of help, it was the pregnant woman in the corner.

"Miss… Miss are you alright?" The nurse asked AJ.

"No… my stomach, it doesn't feel right." AJ shook her head as she bit her lip with the pain, not even noticing that Punk had forced himself out of bed to stand by her side, as sore as it may have been for him.

"Can you describe the pain to me?" The nurse asked.

"It's all tight, shooting pains up here…" AJ pointed to the length of her stomach.

"Alright, there could be a chance you're going into premature labour." The nurse said as Punk lifted his head sharply at the nurse, his hand circling AJ's back to comfort her.

"What?" AJ shook her head with a gasp.

"We need to get you to a delivery room. How far along are you?" The nurse asked.

"Just going on 7 months." AJ said as both Punk and the nurse helped AJ up out of the seat.

"Sir, I need you to get back into bed, you shouldn't be up." The nurse said, noticing Punk was tagging along behind.

"I'm coming with her." Punk said.

"No, you need to get back in bed, she's in good hands, you'll be the first to know if anything happens, now please…" The nurse demanded, only doing her job.

"I'll be fine Phil…" AJ reassured not only Punk but herself.

"I know you will." Punk said, pecking her on the lips before she was escorted out of the room and to the maternity ward upstairs.

Punk walked slowly back to his bed and sat on the edge of his bed, clasping his hands together as he prayed silently for his unborn son and his girlfriend.

_A few hours later…_

AJ knew that by the end of the day, wither she liked it or not, this baby was coming and it was coming soon. She knew it wasn't healthy for a baby to be born two and half months early, he would come out weak and vulnerable and that scared her, she couldn't have both her boys in hospital.

"Can't you just stop it… please, he can't be born right now." AJ shook her head as the midwife looked at the contractions on the monitor.

"I'm afraid that isn't up to me, don't worry, we're going to get him out safe, just relax and keep breathing." The midwife smiled, "Now, do you have anyone in the hospital that you want in with you?" She asked AJ.

"Phil… Phil Brooks… he's in a ward two floors down, he's the father…"

"He's a patient here?" The midwife asked in confusion.

"Yeah. He's ok though." AJ nodded, trying to fool the midwife.

"Let me go suss things out. Just keep breathing, you're doing an excellent job." The midwife praised her, walking out of the room as AJ rolled on to her side, rubbing her stomach as she puffed on the gas and air, sticking by her birth plan of not taking an epidural, she wanted her baby to come out drug free, as did Punk.

A few minutes later the same midwife approached into the room again with not the news AJ wanted to hear, "I'm sorry. They aren't allowing him to come up, his injuries are still too risky, however… I found someone else who might help." The midwife said as Seth walked through the door and to her side.

"Hey, you alright?" Seth said immediately.

"Seth… thank god…" AJ said, so glad not to be doing this alone.

"Everything's going to be alright. Ok?" Seth said, squeezing her hand tightly.

"How come…" AJ paused and took another gasp of the gas and air, "How come they let you up but not Punk?" AJ asked.

"I don't have any minor injuries like Punk, they won't allow him out of the ward, but I spoke to him, told me to tell you he loves you and that everything will be ok." Seth said, kissing her head as AJ just cried against the pillow that muffled against her lips.

"Alright… your 10cm April… get yourself ready to start pushing." The midwife said, calling for last minute essentials for the arrival of this baby.

Seth was nervous, if anything were to happen to this baby who was already a part of the family, he couldn't deal with being there to watch it all go down, all he asked was for him to come out safe and strong, he knew AJ wouldn't cope with Punk and their baby son being in hospital.

"Alright… next contraction April, I want you to push." The midwife said, positioning herself at AJ's legs.

Seth made an O shape with his mouth when AJ pushed, the strength she was using getting squeezed out of her hand as she held his tightly, crushing his non burned hand in between hers.

"Ok, next one again… big push." The midwife said, "You're doing great."

"Just a couple more pushes, AJ." Seth said, holding her hand as she gave another push, each push getting more painful, causing her to moan a little louder each time, wishing that she had Punk beside her right now, as much as she appreciated Seth.

"Alright April, one last big push and he'll be out." The midwife encouraged, counting AJ down for her final push as the most joyful noise overcame her ears after the most intense pain of her life.

"Good set of lungs on him." The midwife smiled as the baby boys cries circulated the full room.

"You do it…" Seth smiled with a overwhelmed chuckle, "You done it AJ." He said, leaning down and kissing her damp hair on her head.

AJ could only be happy for a few minutes, because after they few minutes of joy and hearing her beautiful baby boy screaming in the corner, no signs of him being in danger from being born early, she felt the same pain that she felt down in Punks room gripping her, like it was beginning all over again.

_A few hours later…_

Punk sat on the edge of his bed with a just arrived Dean and Renee who had just got the news of AJ being in a premature labour with Seth just a few floors up.

Punk seemed to watch every minute in the clock go by, desperately wishing he could have been there for AJ and to see their baby boy. He couldn't believe this was actually happening, AJ had only just went on 7 months pregnant, there was no way their son would be fully developed and that broke his heart.

"How long has that been now?" Renee asked, fidgeting around sitting beside Dean who was silent.

"6 hours." Punk sighed, "Maybe I should just go up." Punk shook his head, having had enough of this, this was his son and girlfriend, he had a right, he didn't care how bad his burns were or about his minor injuries, he needed to be there.

He stood up off the bed, being extremely stiff but pushing through it as he went for the door, just as it opened for him and Seth slowly revealed himself, a bundle of joy in his arms… and another bundle of joy in his arms, one with a blue blanket wrapped around him which was expected, the other with a pink blanket around her. He refused to believe she was his.

Dean and Renee both stood up immediately as Punk tried to speak but couldn't find any words. Why were there two, there was meant to be one, one boy, one son, where did the girl come from.

"T-Twins." Renee put her hand over her mouth in shock as Dean looked on at the adorable little babies stirring in Seth's arms.

"We had a little surprise in the delivery room." Seth smiled Punks way, "Congratulations man, they're fucking adorable." Seth said, finding this moment hard but yet so enjoyable, walking towards Punk closer for him to hold his son and daughter.

"They're both mine?" Punk pointed to them, in shock and awe, his eyes focused more on the little girl, wondering where she had been throughout all the scans.

"Both of them." Seth smiled.

Renee held on to Deans arms as she leaned into him, looking on at the gorgeous twins who looked both perfectly healthy, small, but healthy.

"How… she wasn't… I…"

"Shh and take them off me." Seth said, watching Punk take his shaking hands and lifting up his son first, holding him with one arm, feeling Seth place his daughter in the other, both of them snuggled into either side of his arm as their eyes looked up at him, both green like his.

Punk just looked down at them and smiled, letting out a laugh that was mixed with a cry and a smile, overwhelmed by these little creatures being his and AJ's… "How is AJ?" He lifted his head from the twins and back to Seth.

"She's asking for you, but she's fine." Seth smiled

Punk just smiled and looked down at his children, nothing could have taken this moment away from him. He did not wake up this morning and plan to start his fatherhood journey as of now but now they were here he wouldn't change it for the world, his son was here and in the process he'd gained a beautiful baby girl too, there wasn't anything sweeter than this moment, if only AJ could be with him.

**What a nice Christmas surprise, good to know they are both healthy, twins do tend to come early. Thank you guys so much for the REVIEWS so far, appreciate your support so much. If any of you guys have name suggestions for the twins, please REVIEW and let me know.**

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	35. Chapter 35

AJ lay in the hospital room in bed, still mesmerised that she had given birth to not just one baby, but two. Knowing they were both perfectly healthy was all she asked for and thankfully, they both were perfect, as the nurse so adequately put it.

Holding them as soon as they were born, their tiny little feet, tiny little hands, both their green eyes looking up at her, she was so proud and happy, not even phased by being a mother of two now, she wouldn't change it for the world, she had a surprise daughter that she was so pleased about, one of each, nothing could have worked out better, unless Punk was with her…

"Hey…" A voice came from the door, revealing Punk with the twins, the proudest, biggest smile on his face, bigger than hers.

"You're here." AJ smiled, so glad he had made it to the room.

"Yeah, they let me come see you for a bit." Punk smiled, walking over to the two empty basinets beside AJ's bed, placing his daughter in one basinet and his son in the other, turning his attention all on AJ.

"I'm so proud of you. They're gorgeous." Punk said, leaning over and kissing her on the lips, it getting less painful to do so every day. It felt so good to be out of bed for once and especially for this occasion.

"Full of surprises we are, aren't we…" She smiled against his lips.

"How could they have missed something like that?" Punk said, pulling away and looking down at both his children, not believing they were actually here and his.

"They told me it's an easy mistake to make, she must have been hiding behind him in the scans. Best Christmas present I could have asked for." AJ smiled, truly happy that she was a mom to two darling babies, one who could be his dads best friend, the other who could be the biggest daddy's girl in the world, it was nice to have something good happen since these past few days had been torture.

"What are we going to call them?" Punk asked curiously, having not even picked out a boy's name yet never mined a girl as well.

_Later on…_

Everyone had gathered in the maternity ward where AJ and the babies were, to find out what their niece and nephews names were. Dean was holding the baby boy while Seth was coorying in with the baby girl in the corner of the room, talking to her sweetly. Renee looked on at Dean with a smile while AJ lay up in bed with Punk sitting beside her.

"Come on… don't keep us waiting… what are their names?" Dean said, smiling at the baby boy wrapped in his arms, tiny soft strands of hair on his silky head, looking into his eyes was just identical to looking into Punks.

"Alright…" Punk said, "Charlie Phil Brooks and Samantha Brooks… call her Sam for short if you like." Punk smiled, looking down at AJ with a proud smile, having racked their brains through names for the past few hours, finally agreeing on Charlie and Samantha.

"Charlie…" Dean smiled as he looked down at him, holding his finger out as Charlie's tiny hand wrapped around it. He'd never seen such two precious items brought into his life. Him, Punk and Seth weren't kids anymore, they were kids that were having kids.

"Sam…" Seth looked down at the baby girl who may not have been expected but boy was she going to be loved, "I like it." Seth smiled, laying a soft kiss on his niece's head, like kissing a little peach, so precious and delicate.

"Did I tell you I loved you?" Punk whispered down to AJ.

"Once or twice." AJ smiled as she leaned her head down on his chest.

"I love you." Punk said, pressing a kiss on AJ's head.

"I love you too." AJ smiled to herself as she looked on at her friends and family, her baby's and her boyfriend, her friends… nothing could have been going better. In just a few weeks, Punk would be out of hospital with Seth and they could build the life they always wanted to give their son, and daughter now for that matter, both of them couldn't wait to be a family. Charlie and Sam really did have the luckiest parents, uncles and auntie in the world.

_Later that night…_

Punk, as much as it hurt him, had to leave AJ and the twins to go back to his own room later on in the night, not just to let AJ get rest and let the twins get to sleep, but because he could feel his leg starting to stiffen up and his ribs feel tight, being out of bed for too long, but he didn't even care, he'd just became a father and he had no care for pain at the moment.

Dean and Renee fled home right away in hopes to quickly rearrange the just made nursery for the baby boy they were expecting, going home to order more furniture and prepare it for both babies now when they came home.

Seth on the other hand had completely forgotten that he had arranged to go on a date with Paige and looked at the time being 8:30pm. He was nearly two hours late, definitely not a good start, but who could blame him, he'd just became an uncle to not only one kid but two, it was a good day.

He headed out to the parking lott without anyone noticing, looking at her standing over beside the wall, looking cold and bored, tired and fed up.

"Paige!" Seth shouted as he jogged over towards her, "Paige, I'm so sorry… My friends, they just had a baby… well babies… unexpected twins… I didn't mean to be late… I can understand if…" He was silenced when for the first time in four years, he felt a pair of soft lips press against his own, shutting his rambling up as she wrapped her arms around her, being careful not to hurt his burns.

Seth for a minute thought he forgot how to kiss, but then it all came back to him and his arms were wrapped around her waist in no time, his mouth tangled in hers as he got lost in her, surprised by her outburst, but not complaining.

"What was that for?" Seth said as he pulled away for a minute, staying fairly close to her still.

"To shut you up." Paige smiled, pressing her lips back against his, not believing how amazingly good it felt to taste his mouth, he was already exciting her and this was just a kiss.

Seth couldn't think of a better way to end the night, things were getting good. Too good to be true. Things for all six of them were finally looking up. Him and Punk were making speedy recoveries that no one was expecting, AJ had given birth and brought a surprise to everyone in the process, Dean and Renee were getting closer if that was possible from being the two to keep the group standing on their feet and him… well he was getting lost in a black haired beauty who he couldn't seem to find himself enough of.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	36. Chapter 36

"24 hours later…" Dean yawned, Renee leaning against him to hold herself up, both of them covered in paint, looking on at the door of the twins room which they had to improvise on.

"I think we done a good job." Renee smiled, looking on at the room. They'd coloured the walls with a light yellow colour, brightening the room up, good for a girl or a boy which in this case, was good for both Charlie and Sam. There was a crib on one side of the room and another on the other side, enough wardrobe and shelf space for their belongings, two changing tables at the end of each crib, a book shelf in the corner with childrens books, teddys sitting on most of the shelves, a dim lamp in the corner whenever the big light wasn't needed and on Dean and Renee's way home, they had got the finishing touch of buying two blankets for each of them, one blue with Charlie on it and one Pink with Sam, each sitting in the two cribs. They were proud of their handy work and was sure Punk and AJ would love it, but now… they really needed sleep.

"You don't suppose Punk or AJ would mind if we crashed in their bed, I don't physically think I can drive to the apartment." Dean moaned, closing the baby's room door over and turning to face Renee.

"I'm sure they won't mind." Renee shrugged.

"Alright… but first, we need to get all this paint off." Dean smiled as he swung Renee over his shoulder, not finding it hard, she was as light as a feather and he was pretty strong.

"Dean." Renee chuckled as she hung over Dean's shoulder, banging her fists against his back.

Dean just insanely chuckled and walked into the bathroom with her, turning on the shower and closing the door over with his foot, finally placing her down.

"Best not tell Punk about this." Dean chuckled as he took the helm of Renee's shirt, pulling it up over her head and leaning down to kiss her, her arms wrapping around his neck, pulling away and stripping his shirt off him, pressing her lips back against his as their stomachs touched, her hands around the back of his head, smiling against his lips as she felt him unzip her jeans, depending on her to pull them down herself as she did, shimmying out of them leaving her in her underwear.

"Why do you always have to wear belts?" Renee tutted as she fumbled around with the belt on his jeans as he fumbled around with her lips, laughing against them.

"I have a lot to hold up." Dean mumbled against her lips as she laughed irresistibly, finally getting his jeans undone and pulling them down until he took control and stepped out of them, his arms circling around her waist as he kissed her quickly and then trailed his lips to her neck, sitting her on the sink as the shower ran beside them, discarding Renee's moans.

_With AJ…_

AJ was out of bed and changed into the clothes she came to the hospital in the other day, she had no other option, she would get changed when she went home later on in the day.

She couldn't take her eyes off of Charlie and Sam, they were both so precious and so delicate, their little feet wriggling around as they slept all the way through the night.

"How about we go see your daddy? Huh?" AJ smile down as she leant over them both in their basinets, watching Charlie looking up into her eyes as Sam stayed fast asleep, her tiny little chest moving up and down.

She had to admit, carrying two babies was hard, but they fit perfectly into her arms and she had picked up the skill of it rather quickly.

She checked with the midwife first to see if it would be ok to go downstairs, which it was. So she headed on down with both of them, opening the room door with her back as she walked in with them both, seeing Punk sitting up in bed while Seth sat on the arm chair beside, informing Punk all about Paige, figuring he would tell Dean later on, he knew he would get way too excited unlike Punk who was calm but yet truly happy for his friend.

"Thought we would come say bye before we head home later." AJ smiled, walking over to Punk whose smile got suddenly bigger at the sight of his beautiful children and girlfriend.

"When is Dean coming for you?" Punk asked, gladly taking Sam into his arms, Seth volunteering to hold Charlie, having spent the full of last night gushing over Sam and her beauty.

"I don't know. He said he'd text, him and Renee were building the new furniture and painting the room all over again, so I suspect they'll be coming later on." AJ said.

"How'd they sleep?" Punk asked her, looking down at Sam who was now awake and staring up at her father, her green eyes wondering around his face, already sensing that he was her father.

"Great. Not one peep out of them." AJ smiled, folding her arms as she smiled on at her calm children with their father and uncle.

"How are you feeling?" Punk asked, having not only realised until he was in bed last night that AJ had given birth to two baby's, double the pain of what it normally is.

"I'm ok. Still a little so…" AJ moaned as she sat down at the end of the bed, hesitating slightly but then relaxing as the pain eased, "Sore." She chuckled as Punk just smiled in sympathy.

"How are you feeling?" AJ asked him, "Both of you?" She said, politely asking Seth to, who was a life saver to her yesterday, she didn't know if she would have been able to give birth on her own and he was there to help her.

"I'm fine." Seth just smiled, looking down at Charlie.

"I'm great." Punk smiled down as he whispered little sentences to Sam, her innocent green eyes wearing him off already, already seeing her having him wrapped around her little finger.

"Good." AJ smiled, "I'll just wait here until Dean and Renee come to pick us up." AJ smiled, she could have watched Punk interact with his daughter all day, and his son, but she didn't want them hanging around a hospital, hopefully Punk would get out soon and she wouldn't need to trail her poor baby's to the hospital every day to see their father.

_Later that night…_

It wasn't until 8pm that Dean and Renee walked through the door. AJ was feeding Charlie while Seth was sitting feeding Sam, Punk being injected with another shot of morphine to ease the pain of his burns, hoping he could be getting taken off the medication soon.

"Took your time." AJ looked at them both with a smile as they just gave her a guilty smile back.

"Sorry AJ, we were finishing the room and then took a nap, we were exhausted." Renee said.

"Alright, well before we go, me and Punk have agreed on who the twins godparents will be." AJ said, standing up and placing a fed Charlie in one of the car seats that Dean and Renee had brought, leaving Seth to continue feeding Sam.

"Go on…" Dean smiled.

"We want Dean and Renee to be Charlie's." AJ smiled, "If anything happens to us, he needs a fun home, fun carers and we know you're both capable of that." AJ smiled, watching Dean and Renee look extremely proud and happy.

"And we want Seth to be Sam's." Punk smiled, resting his hand on AJ's lap as Seth smiled down at Sam.

"If anything happens to her, I know you'll be here to take care of her. Just like you do with me." Punk smiled, "She needs someone like you to look out for her if anything happens to us." Punk smiled.

Seth just smiled proudly down at his goddaughter, he would promise to keep this little one safe if god forbid AJ and Punk couldn't, he was happy to do so.

"And that way, they won't be totally separated from each other." AJ smiled, knowing that her children's godparents were friends and were always around each other.

AJ just smiled down at Punk with happiness, knowing they had made the right decision for their children, but no matter what, their children could always depend on them, they'd be there for them through whatever.

"We better get going." AJ smiled, leaning over and kissing Punk on the lips, walking to Seth who she gladly took Sam from and walked to the other car seat, placing her in carefully and strapping her in, watching Dean lift up Charlie's, already loving the feeling of being a godfather.

"We'll see daddy later, ok…" AJ said as Sam let out a cry. She tried to soothe her and stroke her soft cheek as the car seat handle hung over her arm.

Punk just smiled as the three of them left with his beautiful son and daughter, immediately missing them already as soon as they left out the door.

"They're adorable man. They're two lucky kids." Seth smiled.

"How come?" Punk asked.

"Well, they got you as a father, don't they." Seth smiled as Punk just looked down and smiled to himself.

"I'll catch you later." Seth said, making his way out of the room to leave a proud Punk to himself.

He walked down to his room and straight in the door, getting a fright as he seen Paige sitting on his bed, the frightened feeling going away immediately as he smiled at her being there.

"What are you doing here?" Seth asked her as he walked towards her.

"I ditched a class… you're right…" Paige threw her hands up in the air as she stood up facing him, "I don't want to be a doctor… I want to be what I want to be." She said as Seth smiled.

"Good." Seth nodded, falling extremely fast for this girl, knowing there was something special about her.

"I want to be with you. You're the only person in my life that's ever encouraged me to do and be who I want to be. I need that sort of positivity in my life." She smiled nervously at him.

If this was any other girl, Seth wouldn't have been phased, but the thought of her wanting to be with him, it made him excited, thrilled, overjoyed and oh so happy.

"Be with me then." Seth said, "Let's make this something good." He said, getting close to her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her into him fiercely, his forehead pressing against hers as she looked from his eyes to his lips.

"Ok." Paige nodded, agreeing to give this a shot, never having fell so quickly for someone, but he didn't feel like just someone, he felt real, he felt honest, he felt like everything she was needing and more.

Seth pressed his lips against hers, forgetting how sweet she tasted from last night, tangling his hands in her black hair.

He wanted to give this a shot, he could see himself crazy for this girl and for once that didn't scare him, being around Punk and AJ, Dean and Renee… it made him realise how badly he wanted to love again and just as he realised it, this wonderful, amazing, beautiful woman shows up. Call it fate if you will, but this was meant to be.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**

**Thanks for all the REVIEWS over the recent chapters, they make my days and inspire me to write the next chapter for you all, so thanks, I appreciate your support. Things look great for all three couples, let's see where things take us.**


	37. Chapter 37

"We hope you like the room." Renee smiled as they got to the top of the stairs, leading the way as AJ and Dean trailed behind. Sam in AJ's arms, Charlie in Dean's.

"I'm sure I'll love it." AJ smiled, thankful to have her babies home, and to be home herself, all that was next was for Punk to get home.

Renee stood in front of the door and opened it up, walking in and standing in the middle of the room, looking around it with a smile as AJ gasped whilst walking.

"Oh my god." AJ said, a sudden smile creeping on her face, "This is beautiful." She smiled, so impressed by Dean and Renee's work, everything was just so perfect, everything was placed in the right places, the walls were such a pale yet bright colour that was perfect for both Charlie and Sam, there was everything she needed, changing table, two cribs, shelves and wardrobes. She was so happy with it, it was everything she imagined and more, "You guys…" AJ smiled to them both, "I love it." She said.

"You aren't just saying that?" Renee said with a paranoid expression.

"No. It's beautiful. I love it." AJ said, looking around it, love in her eyes, it being so perfect and fitting for a twin boy and girl.

"What'd you think, Charlie?" Dean said, watching as Charlie's little eyes wondered around all over the place, chuckling down at him, still not really believing these were Punks.

"I think he likes it." Dean smiled to both Renee and AJ, enjoying this uncle feeling he was feeling.

_Later that night…_

After sticking around for a while, Dean and Renee finally left AJ to enjoy her first night home with the twins.

AJ had put the twins down for a nap whilst she went for a bath which was advised by the midwives, baths were more helpful than showers after birth, so that's what she done, enjoying the silence and the warmth soaking into her muscles.

When she got out, putting on fluffy pyjamas, she headed to the twins room, seeing them both wide awake, Sam kicking her legs, Charlie staring up still at his mother.

"Hey guys." She smiled, leaning over them, tucking her hair behind her ears, still in disbelief that there was two of them. They were both just perfect, every tiny ounce of them. Their soft hair on their tiny heads, their beady little green eyes watching her every movement, their tiny hands and feet, they were just pure perfection, her pure perfection.

She didn't even know if she would be able to handle one child in the beginning, she was worried that things would get too much with her and Punk not being all familiar with each other, but this was the greatest thing that had ever happened to her, besides meeting Punk. She had the son she was oh so excited to have, along with a daughter who surprised them all, but with such a good surprise. She had never been so happy.

She would have loved to have Punks help for the first few days, since she couldn't feed them both at the same time, but she was managing just fine and both Charlie and Sam were content and seemed to settle down just nicely.

"We'll go see daddy tomorrow… I promise." She smiled, tucking Charlie's blanket bought by Renee and Dean, up over him, seeing he had wriggled it off somehow.

She stayed with them until they both fell back asleep, leaving the room and walking into her own room, standing in front of the mirror, not believing that only a few days ago she was looking in the mirror with unknown twins inside her, as big as a house and now she was back to her small self.

She tied her hair up in the mirror with an elasticated bobble, reaching for her glasses and placing them on her nose, heading downstairs and switching the TV off, closing the curtains over and turning the lamps on, really enjoying not feeling bloated and big while she walked around with two other humans inside her.

Just as she sat down and relaxed, grabbing the remote to flick through the channels, through the baby monitor that her and Punk had set up a few months ago, there was a small cry coming through it from upstairs in the room.

She stood up immediately and headed upstairs, going into the twins rooms and noticing that it was Sam who was crying.

"Hey, what's all that crying for?" AJ said, picking up Sam gently, holding her in her arms, her tiny little head lying against her chest as she bounced her ever so lightly in her arms, "Shh." She said soothed, Sam's cries fading down to nothing.

AJ realised right there and then that these were her babies, no matter what. This were her and Punks son and daughter and somehow she could tell that Sam and Charlie already knew who their mother and father were.

She never thought she was going to be the best mother, she thought she would screw up, even more without Punk, but her touch just seemed to calm Sam just there, silencing her back to sleep from clearly a moment of distress, placing her back in her crib and tucking her blanket over her, smiling from her to her brother who was fast asleep in his crib beside her. They were the most precious gift life could have ever offered her.

_The next day…_

"Why won't he take his bottle?" Punk said with a frustrated sigh, sitting on the bed, his legs swung over the side, out of the covers with Charlie in his arms who was deliberately turning away from the bottle.

"He's just stubborn." AJ said, standing up as she fed Sam who was content and enjoying her bottle and her mother's comfort.

"I wonder who he takes that from." Dean laughed Punks way, seeing that Punk was in real frustration.

Dean stopped laughing, "Give him here." Dean sat up straight, taking Charlie from Punk and lowering the bottle to his small mouth, seeing him latch on quickly, feeling extremely proud.

"Unbelievable." Punk said, rolling his shoulders back as he watched Dean feed Charlie proudly, looking over at AJ smile down at Sam while she fed her.

Punk loved seeing that gorgeous smile back on AJ's face, watching her whilst she interacted with their baby's, he could have watched it all day. Who knew that something she was so terrified of in the beginning could turn out to be double the joy and happiness.

"Mr Brooks…" A nurse entered the room, "Full house I see…" She looked around at the baby's, Dean, Renee and AJ, having not been pleased with how busy this room had been over the week Punk had been there.

AJ just made a face behind the nurse's back, not liking her at all, continuing to take interest in her daughter as she made quick short of the bottle, Dean feeding Charlie in the corner with Renee gushing over them.

"How are you feeling today?" The nurse asked.

"Good. Better." Punk nodded, feeling much better compared to the first few days. He could actually move now and his burns weren't as sore, he felt more than capable to go home now and that was what he was wanting to hear.

"Good." The nurse nodded, "I haven't seen quite a patient like you in my time, you seem to have recovered incredibly well. Now, I see you have some… new arrivals." The nurse looked from Sam to Charlie, "I'd hate to keep you away from them for any longer, especially so close to Christmas to." She said.

All of them looked at the nurse with a hopeful smile, AJ's being the biggest.

"We'll be discharging you from here tomorrow morning. We believe your girlfriend here is a nurse…" She turned to AJ who nodded, "You're in good hands, I don't see why not." She said.

"He will be." AJ nodded, putting the empty bottle down and winding Sam who was tucked into her chest, her little face side on as she looked around.

"Alright… As for your burns, they'll slowly turn to scab and then that scab will fall off and you possibly will be left with a scar, perhaps not, but you're definitely over the worse, if you do feel any pain or discomfort at all, take some anti biotics." The nurse said.

"So I can just leave tomorrow and not come back?" Punk asked, extremely happy, especially the fact that he would be home for Christmas.

"Yes. I'll give you a contact number for physio therapy, some people choose not to go, but that's all up to you." The nurse smiled.

"Thank god." Punk fell back on the bed, lying on his back as he looked up at the ceiling, so happy to be getting out of this rotten place, having thought he was going to have to spend another 2 weeks in it, at least.

"I hope you all have a great Christmas." The nurse smiled, leaving the room as they all replied to her with the same back.

AJ walked over to Punk who had sat back up, planting a kiss on his lips, their baby girl settled in between them as she lay against AJ's chest, in amongst her parents love.

She pulled back and looked down at her daughter, "Daddy's coming home…" She whispered to her as Punk looked at them both, hearing a little gurgle from Sam, hearing Renee awe in the corner, "Yeah, that's right." AJ nodded with a chuckle, so happy that they could spend Christmas in their home with the new members to their clan.

"I'm going to see Seth, see if he's heard." Dean smiled, knowing that Seth would get discharged from here aswell.

He passed little Charlie to Renee who was more than happy to interact with her godson, smiling and talking to him as he looked up at her.

Dean headed out the room and down the hall, a smile on his face, happy as he could be, looking forward to enjoying a Christmas together, with everyone he loved, even if there were two new additions.

He put his hand on the handle of the door, walking straight into the room and pausing as he did so, looking on at Seth who seemed to be sticking his tongue down some girls throat.

"What the fuck…" Dean muttered as he looked on at a woman who he had never seen or came across in his life, mounting his best friend who believed he would never be with another woman again. He watched as they both separated quickly, Seth looking directly at Dean while Paige ran her hand up and down her arm in embarrassment, knowing Seth hadn't told his crazy friends about her, apart from the man with the tattoo's, who she had forgotten his name.

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	38. Chapter 38

"Who the hell are you?" Dean looked at Paige with confusion.

"Listen man, I was going to explain all of this as soon as me and Punk got out the hospital." Seth said.

Dean just shook his head and paced up and down in the small space, trying to process, "What? Is this some secret girlfriend you've had… I'm confused." Dean shook his head and looked at Seth and to the uncomfortable girl beside him.

"I better get going." Paige said, grabbing her coat from the bed, "I'll speak to you later." She smiled to Seth, "It was nice meeting you." She said as she walked past Dean who just faked a smile and nodded.

After Paige was out of sight, Dean turned back round to Seth with confusion, looking for answers.

"Don't worry, I've only known her for a few days, keep your hair on." Seth rolled his eyes as he sat down on the edge of the bed, "I like her." He shrugged, "I like her a lot. She reminds me of her." Seth said, looking down at the ground.

"But she isn't her." Dean said, walking over and sitting down beside Seth, "You've went from despising any living girl apart from Claire, to now shoving your tongue down this kids throat." Dean said, "Why do I find that weird?"

"She isn't a kid. She's alone." Seth said, "She makes me feel the same things I felt when I met Claire, the same things you feel with Renee, the way Punk feels about AJ, I feel like that when I see her. She wants to be her own person, have her own life, and not let anyone step in the way… my kind of woman." He said

"I'm saying this as your friend, Seth…" Dean said, "Don't hurt yourself. Don't hurt her. Shouldn't you be taking it slow, easing into things, I think it's great you're taking a liking to this girl, she seems nice… just don't jump into things." He said.

"I know. I'm just… I'm surrounded by you and Renee… Punk and AJ… Soon enough Punk and AJ are going to get married, same with you and Renee and where will I be? Still visiting my dead girlfriend's grave?" Seth looked at Dean, "I need to move on with my life and this seems like the right thing to be doing."

"Good… I'm not saying it won't be. Just, take her out on dates, invite her round to your house, make out on the couch, hold her hand… you've fell in love, you know how it works… don't just dive in head first." Dean said.

"Dude… I'd never thought you'd be giving me girl advice, you'd normally be like 'ah just fuck her.' What's going on Ambrose?" Seth chuckled.

"What can I say? I have matured." Dean chuckled, "No, but seriously… I'm glad you've realised you need to move on, I know Claire can never be replaced, hell… when I walked in there I just saw her, you and her standing there… that's all I could see… but she'd want you to carry on in life, she's always with you man, she's with all of us." Dean smiled to Seth.

"I know she is." Seth nodded, "I know."

"So please… If you like this girl, take it slow, take her out on a date, compliment her, buy her things, do it all over again, we're all right behind you." Dean patted Seth on the back.

Seth just smiled, glad to have a friend like Dean, "I don't tell you this often enough, but I love you." Seth nodded.

"I love you too." Dean smiled, giving his best friend a brotherly hug, always knowing had Seth and Punk through the toughest of times, they'd done it all.

"This conversation never happened." Dean chuckled as he pulled out of the hug and stood up.

"Right." Seth nodded, "I hear me and Punk are getting out tomorrow. Just in time for Christmas." Seth smiled.

"Yeah. It's going to be a good Christmas, all of us together, the twins, maybe some other new faces." Dean winked to Seth, "Main thing is… we'll all be together, home, with each other. Nothing gets better than that." Dean smiled.

"Nothing." Seth agreed.

Dean just nodded, smiling over at Seth who smiled back, "I'll catch you later." He smiled, heading out of the door and heading back to his girlfriend and other friends.

_The next day…_

"Home sweet home." Punk smiled, Sam in his arms as he walked in through the door to their house, AJ tagging behind with Charlie in his car seat, the handle swung over her arm as she locked the car.

Punk had never missed his house as much as he had this past week, he couldn't wait to get into his own bed and just lie with AJ, instead of the restricted single bed in hospital that he would always squeeze AJ into.

"Your mom and sisters said they were going to visit after Christmas, they have gifts for us and the twins. They knew we were spending the day with Dean, Seth and Renee, so we made an agreement for after." AJ smiled, having gotten quite close to Punks mom and sisters these past weeks with Punk being in hospital and her being pregnant. They'd been a great help to her and were so delighted to hear about the twins.

"Good. Feel like I haven't seen them in ages." Punk said, standing in the hallway with Sam sleeping in his arms, "I'm going to put her down." Punk said, "Do you want me to take Charlie too?" He suggested, seeing that his son was fast asleep in the car seat that AJ had brought him in in.

"I'll get him. I'll be just up behind you, just opening this mail." She smiled, watching him nod as he slowly walked upstairs, still not one hundred percent back to his normal fit self, but managing the stairs perfectly fine, talking to Sam cutely on his way up.

AJ opened the mail as quickly as she could, scanning through all the junk and opening cards of congrats from neighbours, coming across a card which she wasn't sure who it was from. It had a name, but she hadn't come across many Amy's in her life.

She just shook it off and sat the cards and junk on the unit, taking little Charlie so carefully from his car seat and walking upstairs with him, walking into the twins room to see Punk leaning over Sam's crib, whispering sweet little gestures to her in hopes she'd close her little eyes to sleep.

Charlie was no problem putting down, he was already sleeping by the time she reached the top stair, as if falling asleep in his mother's comfort.

"Do they sleep through the night?" Punk asked, stroking Sam's soft cheek gently as AJ tucked Charlie's blanket up over him, planting a kiss on his head and turning to answer Punks question.

"Yeah, for most of it. They'll go down about 8pm tonight and wake around 8am." AJ said, "Good compared to some babies who are screaming every hour of the night." AJ said as Punk nodded, still not used to getting up at 8am unless he was working.

"My little princess." Punk smiled as he watched Sam's little eyes close over, both of them not fast asleep in their cribs with their personally made blankets over them.

"Who's Amy?" AJ asked.

Punk went a little stiff before turning round to her, wondering where that had come from, "W-What?" Punk said.

"We got a card in from an Amy, congratulating us on the twins… I don't know an Amy, she must know you." AJ said, not being able to ignore how defensive and odd Punk was beginning to look.

"Oh right." Punk said, "Just… an old friend." He shrugged, walking over to her and pressing a kiss on her lips, walking out of the twins room, leaving AJ wondering to herself.

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	39. Chapter 39

It was Christmas Eve and the snow was thick outside the house, the trees covered and looking like a Christmas card outside. AJ and Punk had agreed that it would be small things that Santa would be delivering to the twins, one… because the twins wouldn't even be knowledgeable about what they were getting and two… they were pretty broke from paying for double the furniture and clothes for their surprising daughter, as well as hosting Christmas dinner in their house and buying in everything, but they weren't going to let their Twins first Christmas be presentless.

"Shh. What's all this crying about? Mommy's still sleeping." Punk said, standing in the middle of the twins room in his boxers with a crying Charlie and an awake Sam stirring in her crib. Two was definitely harder than one.

"You hungry?" Punk bounced him lightly in his arms as he continued to squeal, assuming that it was time for them to get fed.

Not wanting to wake up AJ, he managed to scoop Sam up into his arms as well, it not being as hard as what he thought it would be, heading downstairs. He wasn't even mad that he was up this early, anything for his distressed baby's.

"Alright... you both wait here." Punk said, not like they were going anywhere, placing them both down on the few blankets in the centre of the living room, a place where AJ had created for them to lie until she had their bottles made.

Punk walked into the kitchen and read the back of the formula box, not having a clue how to make these things, picking up the instructions quickly and eventually emerging from the kitchen with two ready-made bottles, having tested both on his wrist, remembering it from parenting classes that AJ had made him go to.

"I believe its ladies first. Sorry Charlie." Punk said, taking Sam up into his arms while Charlie laid still flat on the blankets, both of them in their little baby grows.

Punk lay back on the couch when Sam latched on to the bottle, enjoying the calmness but then suddenly remembering AJ questioning him last night. An old friend was just the easy cop out not to tell her who Amy really was, there was no need for her to know, it was in the past, she was his present and his future, he knew she would just get worried and he wasn't going to be responsible for it. Even though the right thing would be to tell her, but he tended not to do the right thing.

"Hey…" AJ smiled as she walked in the living room, still in her pyjamas, appreciative of Punk getting the twins and starting to feed them, helping him out and picking up Charlie from the blankets.

"How'd you sleep?" Punk smiled as she sat beside him with Charlie, passing the bottle to her as she began feeding their son.

"Good." AJ nodded, lying a little… she was still a little paranoid from Punk's 'old friend' sending them a card of congratulations, it seemed a little strange to her, especially how Punk reacted to it.

"So, how many are we feeding tomorrow?" AJ asked with a tired smile, wondering why they had been landed by all the cooking and hosting of Christmas day, then again… Renee suggested that because the twins, whenever they fell asleep, it would be easy just to put them up into their room, which did make sense for them to have it here.

"6." Punk said, looking down at Sam, holding her tiny little hand as she gulped away at the bottle.

"6?" AJ raised her eyebrow at Punk, "There's normally only five of us." She said.

"Seth's bringing someone… I think." Punk said, assuming Seth was bringing this girl he was talking to him about a few days ago, encouraging him with the idea, wanting Seth to find another love to join the crew.

"Oh." AJ nodded with a smile, "He isn't scared that we might scare her off?" She chuckled.

"C'mon. Who could we scare? Look at us. We're old and boring now." Punk smiled to her.

"We are not." AJ said, feeling insulted, "We're still that sexy looking couple… just with twins now." She said as Punk laughed beside her.

_Later that day…_

AJ had left Punk in charge to do things around the house, since he wasn't feeling up to going out shopping with AJ to get presents and other last minute food and drink items. He'd left AJ and Renee to do that whilst he watched the twins and set up things around the house, with his two trusty steeds of course.

"So Paige… she's eh, coming along tomorrow… if that's ok?" Seth asked shyly, all three of them in the kitchen, the twins upstairs napping in their cribs, the baby monitor in the kitchen with them in case of any sudden cries.

"Already got the extra plate out." Punk winked to him as Seth nodded with a smile.

"Have you got crackers?" Dean turned to Punk, feeling like there was something missing from the ready-made table they had all just set up. AJ and Punk both wanted everything to be ready for tomorrow, so all they had to do was wake up and get ready in the morning, come down and cook, no messing around.

"Shit, no… someone text AJ." Punk said, taking out food from the freezer to defrost over night.

Dean took out his phone and text AJ to get crackers, putting his phone back into his pocket.

"So… what do you guys think of this? I get a card from Amy, congratulating me on the twins." He stopped what he was doing and looked at them both who were a little stunned.

"Does AJ know?" Was the first thing Seth said.

"No, I told her she was an old friend. There isn't any need for me to tell her. Weird though, right?" Punk said.

"I'd tell AJ." Dean crunched his teeth together and raised his eyebrows, "Don't lie to her." He shook his head.

"I just don't see the reason in getting her all worked up about something that was in the past, AJ's the girl, my future… I don't want her thinking that she isn't." Punk said.

"Punk, you were planning to elope with this girl… AJ deserves to know." Seth said, "Any other girl, I'd say fine, don't tell her, it doesn't really matter. But it's AJ, she's just had your kids, stood by your side in hospital for two weeks and taken care of you. She deserves to know." Seth said.

"But please…" Dean said, "Don't tell her on Christmas day, tell her after." He suggested, not wanting any Christmas day drama.

"Fine." Punk said, "What have you all got your girls?" Punk asked.

"I…" Dean put his hand on his chest, "Have got Renee…" Dean built it up…. "Absolutely nothing. I need help." Dean panicked as he looked at them both, "She's so hard to buy for, I ask her what she wants, she tells me she wants me, we have sex, I ask her again, she says a cuddle…" Dean grunted, "She's a fucking nightmare." He said, "What about you two?" Dean asked.

"I've got Paige some stuff for her drawings and paintings… nothing big…" He shook his head.

"Smart." Dean pointed to Seth, leaning against the kitchen wall, "What about you Punk?"

"A ring." Punk said.

Dean was glad the wall was there to support him otherwise he would have been on the floor.

"You're going to propose?" Seth smiled.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "I was planning to when the kids were born, well… kid. But since that idea quickly jumped out the window, why not now?" He shrugged, having made his mind up, "Obviously I've got her other things, like just little things to open." Punk shrugged.

"Well… you two need to help me with Renee. Get the catalogue out." Dean said as Punk and Seth just huffed and rolled their eyes.

_With AJ and Renee…_

After AJ and Renee had done hours of shopping, buying presents for the twins, for their men, for their dinner tomorrow, they finally called into a coffee shop in the way home, their car trunk overflowing with bags.

"My legs…" Renee moaned as she finally sat down with AJ.

"They better have done something when we get back." AJ said, expecting a clean, tidy, set up house for Christmas, especially when there was three of them.

"So I eh… got a card last night through the door…" AJ said, stirring the sugar into her coffee, "From Amy." She shrugged as Renee looked at her in confusion.

"Do we know any Amy's?" She asked herself.

"No. No we don't. Punk seems to know her." AJ said, taking her spoon from the coffee and sitting it down beside it, "Just an old friend." She shrugged to Renee.

"What's wrong with that?" Renee asked, not seeing the problem.

"He got all stiff and defensive, like he was hiding something." AJ said, looking at Renee, trying not to be upset, but feeling really down about this mysterious woman that Punk seemed to know.

"I'm sure you're just being paranoid. It's Punk. He'd tell you if there was something you needed to know. Just forget about it and enjoy our first Christmas all together, with the twins." Renee encouraged, not wanting to make this out to be a big deal, she was sure whatever AJ was thinking wasn't true.

"Yeah." AJ faked a smile and took a sip of her coffee as she went on to talk about what the plans were for tomorrow etcetera, forever being burdened by this Amy.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**

**I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. The Christmas chapter will no doubt be up the day after Christmas. So everyone enjoy Christmas 2014!**


	40. Chapter 40

"In four years… we're going to have tiny little monsters jumping on us, begging us to come downstairs to see what Santa has brought them. This is just the beginning." Punk smiled, on his side facing AJ in bed, the daylight just streaming in.

"I oddly can't wait." She smiled, being rather excited for the future Christmas's.

"You won't be saying that in a few years." Punk chuckled, "We've got a big day ahead of us." He let out a tired yet excited sigh.

"We do." AJ smiled as she swung her legs round and out of bed, standing up, her messy brown hair long against her back as she walked over to the curtains, spreading them wide opened as Punk began to pretend he was a Gremlin, pretending he was melting at the sun light.

"What age are you?" AJ looked at him, "I'm going for a shower… can you get the twins ready, I've left their outfits out." AJ said as she walked round the room.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, watching her as she headed out of the room and into the bathroom, hearing her lock the bathroom door before he reached into the top drawer beside him, pulling out the ring he had got a few months after she fell pregnant, staring at it as it sat perched up in the box. He could only hope and pray she said yes, otherwise he would be so embarrassed.

_Later on that day…_

The day was filled with opening presents, laughing, joking around, enjoying each other's company and lots of alcohol and food. Minus the alcohol for AJ and Punk of course.

The twins were centre of attention in the living room, lying on their blankets together, comfortable and enjoying the many faces they were used to having around. They were such content little things that barely let out a moan or cry and everyone was thankful for that, there was nothing worse than a screaming baby, but two… that was torture.

It came to the point where everyone was sitting in the living room, AJ on Punks lap, Dean and Renee across on the other couch, Seth and Paige sitting beside Punk and AJ, who from the looks of things, Paige had really fit in with them all and seemed to be enjoying their humour and good nature, she really did like Seth and it was a plus that his friends were so welcoming and sweet.

"Alright alright… time to open the presents." Renee smiled, getting excited. It was her favourite time of the year and she actually had a boyfriend this Christmas, so she was even more excited.

"Well Renee, since you're so eager, why don't you open your present from Dean first." Punk suggested.

"Well. If you insist." Renee rolled her eyes and reached for the wrapped soft present that was from Dean, immediately tearing it open as she presented a t-shirt to them all, her mind twisted on why or what it was for, but put a smile of gratefulness on, examining the shirt with the Eifel tower on it. She did love Paris.

"That one is for you to." Dean pointed to the envelope on the ground, watching Renee reach for it as he exchanged hopeful smiles to Punk and Seth, AJ and Paige watching with anticipated smiles, not knowing what it was that Dean had got her, but excited for her.

Renee tore open the envelope, carefully sliding the card out, presenting two flight tickets, hotel confirmations and a hold load of euros.

"W-What… what is all of…" Renee stopped as she looked to where the flight was headed… "Paris!" She screamed.

Punk just chuckled as AJ leaned back against him, "She's wanted to go to Paris since she was five." AJ whispered to him.

Punk just smiled as Renee swarmed Dean with hugs and kisses, keeping her tears back as she whispered things in his ear that no one heard.

"Thank you so much." Renee said, taking the sleeve of her t-shirt and wiping the tears that had just escaped her eyes.

"You're worth it all." Dean smiled, kissing her sweetly as she continued to stare at the flight tickets.

After looking through a shit catalogue, Dean brought it to Punk and Seth's attention when he seen the Eifel Tower T-shirt of how much Renee loved Paris and always wanted to go, he took it upon himself to make it the real deal and booked them a vacation for a week in Paris.

"That was so sweet." Paige whispered to Seth as Seth just smiled to her, watching her as she looked on at Dean and Renee.

"Ok ok…" Renee got herself together, "Here is your present." Renee smiled, grabbing him his present and passing it to him.

After all couples exchanged gifts, warmed by each other's thoughtful hearts, it was eventually time to have dinner which all three boys were looking forward to the most.

"How'd you make all this AJ, it's amazing…" Dean said, only assuming that this was all AJ's hard work.

"Me? I just made the gravy." AJ laughed, "Punk done everything." She said.

"Punk done what?" Punk said, coming back to his dinner after feeding Charlie and Sam.

"Where the fuck did you learn how to cook like this?" Dean questioned him.

"Scrub up meal Punk." Seth nodded in agreement, not having a Christmas dinner like this since he was a kid.

"Yeah, it's really nice." Paige said politely.

"Well I'm glad you all think so." Punk smiled, "Gravy is the best part though." Punk smiled, turning to AJ and kissing her on the cheek as she smiled to him sweetly, his good nature never failing to content her, just so happy he was home for Christmas.

"I'd like to say a few words." Dean said, raising his pint of beer as everyone groaned, standing up at the table and looking at them all, "This year has been a whirl wind. It started off with one of my best friends in a car crash, to ending with him having kids with his nurse. But without AJ, I wouldn't have found Renee… I guess, what I'm trying to say is, we're all here together and that's what matters. To new faces…" He looked Paige's way, "I like her, treat her good." He looked to Seth, "To new generations." He looked his way into the living room to stare out both a sleeping Charlie and Sam, "To surprises." He smiled, of course meaning Sam, "To love and… to many more Christmas's to come like this. Cheers." Dean smiled.

"Cheers." Everyone repeated, clinking their glasses together in the middle of the table, Dean sitting back down as they finished the rest of their dinner, pulling crackers, wearing paper hats, popping the party poppers, dancing to Christmas songs and enjoying a Christmas they all deserved to enjoy.

"Come with me." Punk whispered to AJ who was making a start on dishes, grabbing her hand and pulling her through the living room and out into the hall, not giving her an option.

"Phil… what are you doing?" She asked as he turned to face her.

"I love you. I love you so much it's unreal. I would walk the wild for you, kill for you, starve for you… burn for you… I would do anything for you, I have never loved anyone so much, I can't picture my life without you, you're beautiful, every inch of you, outside and inside, you're an amazing mother and you're going to be an amazing wife." Punk said, in the hallway with her as she dropped the dish towel she was holding.

"April Jeanette Mendez… sweetheart." Punk got down to his knee, raising the ring to her eyesight, "Marry me?"

AJ just laughed nervously, a tear escaping from her as she looked down at the beautiful, expensive ring, so overwhelmed and touched by Punks idea to ask her on Christmas.

"Y-Yes… Yes, I'll marry you." AJ nodded, bringing him up to his feet as she kissed him passionately, wrapping her arms around him as she still remembered to be careful with his burns, her mouth latching into his as she kissed him, the kiss filled with happiness and lust and excitement all into one, if they didn't have guests she would have marched him to bed and locked the door, then she remembered she was advised not to have sex until another three or four weeks since she had just given birth a few days ago.

"I love you so much." Punk smiled, knowing his proposal wasn't the flashiest or the best, but it was honest and meaningful and he knew AJ appreciated that, she wasn't the type of girl that wanted, 'will you marry me?' written in the sky, she was simple and that's exactly what he gave her.

AJ was not expecting a proposal but her shocking expression had long gone and now she was just extremely happy and excited, staring at the gorgeous ring as Punk slid it on her finger.

They both emerged from the hallway, everyone staring at them waiting in the living room, the twins settled with Dean and Seth.

AJ raised her hand with a smile, the ring on view for everyone to see as Punk stood proudly beside.

Everyone congratulated them both and the night carried on with joy and warmth all around. The twins falling asleep eventually in their parents arms, Renee whispering to Dean how much she loved him and his thoughtful gift for her, Paige telling Seth how much she had enjoyed her night with them all and how sweet and nice his friends were. Overall, Christmas had come and gone and with new babies, new girlfriends and new engagements, it was the greatest Christmas to date.

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**Hope everyone had a lovely day.**


	41. Chapter 41

AJ was up bright and early as she always was and left the twins and their lazy father to stay sleeping while she got peace and quiet to tidy up downstairs. Everyone never left until at least 4am, Dean was so drunk he didn't know the year, Renee was just as bad and on a pure high from her present from Dean, Seth and Paige were rather quiet but having their own conversations in the corner and AJ and Punk were so tired, they just left the mess when everyone left and headed to bed to cuddle and fall asleep, for AJ… she fell asleep to the sight of her ring on her finger, still not taking it in that Punk asked her to marry him.

She was going around the living room and kitchen with a black trash bag, putting any rubbish in the bag.

Just as she'd finished collecting all the rubbish, she realised their trash can was full, so she opened the lid, ready to take out the current trash bag in it, seeing a card buried at the side, wondering why anyone would put a Christmas card in the trash, that was pretty rude from her perspective.

She picked it out and looked inside it to see who it was from, her nostrils flaring when she seen who it was from. Of course, just Punk's 'old friend.'

She really had forgotten about Amy since Punk proposed, she realised that it wasn't anything to be worried about and that Punk wanted her, but what she wanted was to know why all of a sudden this girl was deciding to send them cards for every holiday or birth, next thing happening would be she would be invited to the wedding? And that certainly wasn't happening. She knew this wasn't just a friend like Punk said, she wasn't stupid.

She sat the card to the side and continued to tidy up, figuring how she would go about this with Punk, she wasn't in anyway trying to get him to confess, she knew he wasn't like that, the day Punk cheated was the day pigs fly, but she needed to know who this girl was, because she wasn't just a friend.

_Later that day…_

The twins were happily lying on their blankets in the centre of the living room where AJ and Punk could keep an eye on them, the baby monitor toys hanging above them, fascinating them with the noises and colours as they dangled above.

AJ lay up beside Punk on the couch, both of them watching some movie that Dean had bought them, telling them it was a must see. All Punk had seen so far was sex, drugs and alcohol, it was definitely a Dean movie.

"So I put up the Christmas card from Amy. Why was it in the trash?" AJ asked him, feeling his body harden at the name.

"Must have… fell in." Punk shrugged.

"Phil… if she wasn't, just a friend… you can tell me." AJ said, wanting him to tell the truth, sitting up from lying on him and looking at him.

Punk knew this was his opportunity to be straight with AJ, but something was stopping him, he didn't know what or why, he just didn't feel like he could tell her, especially when he had just proposed last night, what if AJ got mad when she realised that wasn't the first time he had proposed, he couldn't do this, he wouldn't get her upset over something that didn't even matter.

"I promise…" He instantly regretted saying they two words, but carried on anyway, "She was just a friend, I don't know why she's sending these cards, just to be nice I guess, that's all it is." Punk said.

AJ just nodded, "Where did you meet her?" AJ asked, believing him as soon as he brought the word promise in to it. He wouldn't lie to her.

"Just um… through the gang." Punk said, the first thing coming to him, not being able to stand all this lying, but then again, he was choosing to lie.

"There were girls involved in the gang?" AJ asked strangely.

"N-No… Some dude that we knew, it was his girl, we all just got on good…" Punk shrugged.

"Right." AJ nodded, "Sorry, I just thought, maybe you knew her for a different reason, but it doesn't matter." AJ shook her head, laying back down against Punk, believing him so gullibly as he looked on at the TV with guilt, feeling sick with himself, not knowing why he couldn't just tell her that Amy was a meaningless girlfriend that he decided with on the spot with that he was going to elope with but changed his mind last minute and left her. What was so hard about that?

"Look at them." AJ smiled, her eyes on the twins, watching them as they lay so happily on the soft blankets, little teddies and other blankets surrounding them.

"They're adorable." Punk smiled, looking at his kids who were the most precious little lives ever.

AJ just smiled and snuggled down further to Punk, wrapping her arms around his waist. If he said Amy was just a friend, she was just a friend, she trusted him.

_The next day…_

AJ decided she was going into work the next day to show off her gorgeous twins to her work colleagues and to arrange when she would be back at work, hoping she could bribe her boss to give her more time off since she had two of them, which was really double the work.

Punk on the other hand was still in bed, enjoying the luxury of his own sheets and covers instead of the awful hospital ones. His burns were still pretty bad and noticeable, but they were heading in the right direction, which was a good thing, same with Seth.

He was woke up suddenly by a loud knock, jolting up in bed and taking a minute to process where he was. He knew it couldn't have been AJ, she had keys, nor would it have been Dean or Seth, they had keys to. He got out of bed with a sigh, putting some clothes on which were just basketball shorts and a t-shirt lying on the floor.

He walked down the stairs and walked straight to the door, unlocking it and swinging it open, the cold hitting him like a ton of bricks, the person standing there hitting him like a ton of bricks, "W-What the hell… Why are you…"

"Shh." The red haired woman walked in the door, "I can't stay long." She said, walking on into the living room.

"Good." Punk said, "It'd be better if you couldn't stay at all. What the fuck are you doing here?" Punk asked her.

"Charming… Truth is, I was actually just here to see how you were. I heard about you and Seth in a fire, I got upset, wanted to see you." She said, clasping her hands together as she stood face on with him.

"Well, you've seen me, now you can leave… My fiancé is going to be home any minute." Punk said.

"I saw her leave the house with those adorable little twins. Surely you've told her about me." Amy said.

"Yeah, I have. I told her you were just an old friend, and that's the way it's going to stay." Punk said, "Look…" Punk said, moving closer towards her, "I appreciate your concern for me, but I'm fine." He nodded, knowing she was only looking out for him.

"It's just a shame really. We could have had all this. The house, the ring, the kids, the friends… I feel like I was just a toy you played around with when you wanted to." Amy said, wanting sympathy from him.

"You knew how I felt about you." Punk said, "I loved you." He said.

"That's exactly why I came here. I loved you too. Phil, I still love you." She said sincerely, watching him gulp nervously.

"Amy… I don't love you anymore, I did… but I love April now, I want to marry April. You gotta understand that." Punk said, trying to tread lightly on the situation, knowing exactly why Amy had come back, but it wasn't going to happen. His heart belonged to AJ and only her.

"She's just a replacement of me, Phil. You know that." Amy said, touching his arm, "It has taken me all this time to realise that, there's no one else that I love more than you." Amy said.

Punk was mentally kicking himself as Amy clung to his arm, why must he be so irresistible, "Amy, the feelings aren't mutual. I loved you back then, I don't love you anymore, I've moved on… and so should you." Punk said, "Now please… leave my house and leave me and my family alone." He said, not trying to sound too harsh, but really getting agitated, looking at the front door that was expecting AJ to burst through any minute.

"I know you. I know that in five years' time, you're going to be so bored with that girlfriend of yours and they twins. Why not save her the heartbreak and end it with her… come with me. You could never be a father Phil, they children are going to hate you…"

"I think it's best you leave." Punk said, walking out to the hall as she followed behind.

"I'm staying at the Staybridge hotel, just a few blocks away, my house is getting refurbished and I'm staying there for a few weeks. If you ever need to… talk, I'll be there." Amy said, walking out of the door as Punk slammed it immediately behind her, leaning his head against the door when he did, closing his eyes at the mess that was unfolding in front of his eyes. He needed Amy to stay as far as possible from him, there was no person better at getting inside his head like she did.

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	42. Chapter 42

"Hey." AJ said, walking into the living room where Punk was sat with his hands on his head, the twins in her arms as she looked on at him, thinking that something was wrong of course, "Phil, what's wrong?" She asked, putting the twins down gently and looking at Punk stand up, facing her.

"This isn't the first time I've asked someone to marry me." He said, his arms by his side, looking at her with guilt as she stopped undoing her coat, looking up at him.

"W-What?" AJ tilted her head a little in confusion.

"I… Amy… we dated, I asked her to marry me a few years ago." Punk said, looking across at AJ whose arms fell to her side, looking at him with a hurt expression.

"You promised me." AJ spoke, a lump of emotion in her throat, "I knew you were lying."

"I was only lying because I didn't want you to think differently of me. I didn't want you thinking that… because I've done this before, it would make it any different." He said, moving towards her.

"I wouldn't have thought that anyway. So what? You asked a girl to marry you, what difference does that make to me? I know you love me, I know you love our kids… why couldn't you just be honest with me?" She asked me.

"I didn't want to scare you out of saying yes to me." He shrugged, "I don't know, it just seemed better not to tell you." Punk shrugged, "I'm sorry."

"You sat here and promised me she was just a friend. I didn't think you were like that. The first thing I loved about you was your honesty. Where is that?" She threw her hands up in the air.

"April please… I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say, I just didn't want anything to change between us." Punk said.

"Nothing would have. What did you think I was going to do? You moved on, you found me, we love each other. I don't care about girls in the past…" She shook her head, still confused.

"I'm sorry." Punk shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

"Just… keep an eye on them." AJ pointed to the twins, walking out of the living room and heading upstairs for a breather, not understanding any of this, kicking herself for believing him for a minute.

She sat on her side of the bed, running her hands through her hair, processing why Punk would lie to her, it was in the past, she wouldn't have got angry or upset with him, it was before they even knew each other. She hated the feeling of being lied to and hated it even more that she was lied to by the one person she expected to be honest with her all of the time. It just wasn't like him.

_Later that night…_

AJ had spent the full day sitting in bed with her legs crossed, not in the covers but sitting on top, thinking to herself, to hearing Punk in the room next door with the screaming twins, hearing him try and soothe them to hearing him come into the room and ask her if she was ok, to what she just replied with a silent nod.

"The twins are sleeping… maybe we can talk." Punk said, walking further into the room, sitting down on his side of the bed as she lifted her head.

"Fine… talk to me? I have nothing to say to you." AJ shrugged, looking back down as she massaged her temples.

"Today… she came to the house." Punk said, watching AJ's head shoot up, her eyes burning a hole through his heart, "Nothing happened." Punk rolled his eyes, a little hurt that AJ would even consider him cheating on her, he wouldn't do such a thing.

"What did she want?" AJ asked bluntly.

"She wanted to see how I was. She'd heard about the fire, said she was worried." Punk just shook his head.

"Oh, poor her." AJ turned her nose up, looking back down at the patterned bed sheets, tracing her fingers around the patterns.

"She told me she still loved me." Punk said, being one hundred percent truthful from now on with AJ.

AJ just lifted her head, laughing contagiously Punks way, sarcasm coming off of her laugh as she stopped and looked at him with a smile, "So what… you love her?"

"No." Punk shook his head, "I did… I don't anymore. I love you. I want to be with you." Punk said.

AJ just nodded relaxed, but oh so thankful on the inside.

"She got in my ear. Told me I'd get bored of you in five years, that… Charlie and Sam would hate me, that I could never be a father even if I tried." Punk said.

"And you believe her?" AJ asked him.

"I could never get bored of you… but I can't predict what my kids are going to think of me, what if… what if I can't be a father to them, what if it all comes back and hits me in the face." Punk said.

AJ dropped her serious act and tutted to herself, thinking to herself how rude this woman was to say such things to Punk, yet she claimed to love him at the same time. AJ didn't like her already and not just because the obvious.

"Don't listen to her." AJ shook her head, "You're an amazing father." She said.

"They're only a few days old, April. What if… what if I can't give them the childhood I want them to have? My dad didn't know how to be a dad, drove me away from home, what chance have I got?" He said.

"That little boy and girl in there are nothing without you, they need their father. I need their father. Don't let some jealous ex get inside your head." AJ rolled her eyes.

"Do you remember when we sat here and I told you my fears?" Punk said, looking at her in the eye.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"Do you remember the first one?"

"Letting people down that you love." AJ said, looking at him nod.

"I am terrified of letting you down, letting the twins down and… something is telling me I will." He said.

"Stop doubting yourself. You are their father, no one is going to replace that, you aren't going to be parent of the year, neither am I, but we're going to love them, give them everything they need, raise them right… you created them just as much as I did… they need two people in the world, they need me and they need you… running away from them isn't any better than falling flat on your face in front of them, they need you, they need their dad, our daughter needs someone to protect her, our son needs someone to look up to and I need someone to love me… no one does that better than you." She said, watching him smile down to himself.

"You always have to say the right things." Punk laughed over to her as she smiled.

"I don't like that you lied to me, but I can forget about it. We can move on and forget this ever happened." AJ said.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, watching AJ lie down on her side of the bed, feeling her hand grip on to his arm, pulling him down to lie beside her.

"No one stands between us." AJ said, looking into his green eyes.

"No one." Punk shook his head in agreement, pressing his lips against hers, wondering how and why he had come across such a perfect girl.

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	43. Chapter 43

AJ got up next morning, feeling rather cleansed and stress free, now that she knew about Punk and this woman, she seemed to relax more and wasn't as paranoid. She took off downstairs to make herself busy when she came across an advertisement card lying on the floor just at the front door. She picked it up and wondered why it had the number and address to the Staybridge hotel a few blocks away. Then she put two and one together and sussed everything out. _She_ clearly gave it to him or dropped it on her way out deliberately.

AJ kept held of the car and walked back upstairs, immediately jumping for a quick shower and putting on her clothes while Punk snored his head off in bed. She placed the card in her back jean pocket and tapped on his bare shoulder, watching him stir a little.

"Phil…" She whispered, "I'm just going out with Renee, I won't be too long. Feed the twins when they wake up, ok?" She said calmly.

"Ok." Punk nodded with his eyes closed still, turning round to lie on his side, falling back asleep.

AJ grabbed her phone from the unit and quickly escaped out the house and into her car, driving along the quiet road to the hotel, parking in a space in the parking lot and walking out of the car, locking it without looking as she walked for the entrance, thanking the man who held the door open for her and heading to the quiet reception.

"Hello Miss, are you checking in this morning?" The polite woman asked.

"No… No I'm just here to visit. Is there an Amy staying here?" AJ asked, playing it as cool as she possibly could.

"Yeah, we have one Amy staying on the sixth floor, room 109. Should I phone and tell her you're here?" She asked.

"No…" AJ said quickly, cutting the receptionist off, "I want to… surprise her." AJ smiled nervously with a small laugh.

"I see." The receptionist nodded, "Have a good day Miss." She nodded to AJ.

AJ just smiled and headed for the elevator, pressing six and standing quietly while the elevator music played.

It felt like a lifetime just to reach the sixth floor but when she did, she was right on the case, looking at the signs of which room numbers were on the left and right. Taking a left, she scanned all the doors with the gold platted numbers on them, finally reach 109 and rolling her shoulders back, lifting her fisted hand and knocking at the door.

AJ waited to hear movement in the room, eventually being met by the woman threatanizing her family and fiancé.

"I knew you would…" Amy paused when she realised it wasn't who she was hoping it would be, instead she was met with an unhappy AJ who walked right into the room without being invited.

"Disappointed?" AJ laughed, taking a good look at her, realising she had no competition, this girl looked a mess.

"Yeah, actually." Amy said, "Why are you here?"

"I could have asked you the same thing yesterday when you were in my house." AJ said.

"Phil told you…" Amy nodded in understandment, "He never was a good liar." Amy laughed.

"Yeah, he told me everything." AJ said, standing face to face with Amy.

"Let me tell you something, you were just a young girl he used for sex in the beginning, got you pregnant and didn't have a choice to stay with you. That's your perfect love story you're living. He loves me." Amy said.

"Where is he then?" AJ said with a laugh, looking up at this evil woman, "He's in my bed, where our children sleep in the next room, under my roof." AJ said.

"And he's going to get oh so bored of it. I know Phil, trust me… in five year's time you're going to be waking up alone, your children are going to wake up fatherless and you're going to have no one. Phil done it to me, it's bound to happen to you." Amy said.

"Did you ever consider that he left you because he didn't love you? I'm sorry that he loves me, but I can't control his feelings. Phil would never leave his children." AJ said, convincing Amy and herself as she spoke.

"You're young and dumb, I get it. Think you're in love, I've been there." Amy paced around on the spot a little, "No one gets over their first love. No matter… how much he broke my heart, I know he still loves me, I still love him and you…" Amy got down to eyelevel with AJ, "You need to disappear." She whispered.

"He doesn't love you. He loves me, he was the one that asked me out on dates, he was the one that decided he was going to stick by me for our kids, he was the one that decided to propose, I never provoked him, he done it all on his own and do you want to know why?" She looked at Amy, "Because he loves me and he always will, so if you have a problem with that… I suggest you tell someone who actually cares. I know Phil loves me, you aren't going to convince me that he doesn't, do you understand me?" AJ said as Amy just rived in anger.

"And if you ever… ever bring my kids into this again, if you ever talk nonsense into Phil's head about him being a terrible father, I will come find you and slap you into a pile of tattoo's, ugly hair and piercings that you are. Leave my family alone." AJ said, death staring Amy before she turned around and left out of the door, slamming it behind her as she relaxed her shoulders in the hallway, walking down the corridor for the elevator and quickly leaving the hotel.

_Later that day…_

"Hey, I'm home." AJ smiled as she walked into the house, "I brought you your favourite." AJ smiled, passing Punk a cup of coffee, heading out to the kitchen with a little brown paper bag filled with muffins, coming back into the living room where the twins were awake on their blankets while Punk kept a close eye on them.

"Dean just off the phone." Punk smiled her way as she sat down on the other couch across from him, "Said him and Renee were in town this morning and saw a mini cubs hat that they got for Charlie… I thought you said you were going out with Renee for breakfast?" Punk raised his eyebrows at her.

AJ just gave him that, 'I'm busted,' look on her face.

"I went and seen Amy." AJ said.

"You did what?" Punk said, "How did you even know where she was?" Punk asked.

"There was an ad card on the floor at the door for a hotel, I figured she dropped it for you deliberately yesterday and I took it upon myself to go have a chat with her." AJ said.

"What did you say to her?" Punk asked.

"I just warned her to stay away from us and that there would be consequences if she got into your head like she did again, she tried to convince me that you still loved her but I knew better than to believe her." AJ said, watching him smile and put down his coffee on a coaster below the seat.

"Come here…" Punk smiled as AJ stood up and walked towards him, sitting down close beside him, her leg tucked under her and her arms circled around his neck.

"What is it?" AJ smiled, her face nearly touching his as they looked into each other's eyes.

"I don't love her. I love you and I'm glad you know that." Punk said, "I'm not going to lie… imagining you all angry and lashing out, sort of turning me on." Punk whispered as she laughed.

"I'm sorry baby, I'm still restricted from sex." AJ frowned but giving him a soft kiss on the lips.

"Sexual intercourse or just sex as a whole?" Punk said, the end of smile going crooked as that devilish smirk appeared.

"Phil…" AJ laughed, tapping him on the shoulder as he pulled her in for another kiss, his arms wrapped around her waist as their lips interlocked.

Punk was glad that AJ had went to Amy now, she seemed more relaxed and calm with things now and that was always good, he just hoped Amy done what AJ told her and stayed away from him and his family.

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	44. Chapter 44

Throughout the next few weeks, all of AJ and Punks focus was on the twins and each other. Punk's burns were now scars that were fading every day from what it seemed and life was sweet. AJ wasn't scheduled back to work for another few months, Punk was heading back in just a month.

Charlie and Sam were nearly two months old and were still content and happy in their home, never screaming during the night to keep their parents up or exhausting either parent out.

"What do you think of this place?" AJ asked him, tilting the laptop his way. Both of them were sitting on the couch later on in the night after putting the twins to sleep. AJ had her glasses on, scrolling through venues for their wedding while Punk paid more attention to the TV.

"Nice." Punk nodded, not even turning to look at what she was showing him.

"You're useless." AJ tutted, pulling the laptop back into her and continuing to scroll through the web.

"Well isn't that something you and Renee can do one night? It's all up to you." Punk said, not really interested in looking at dresses or venues or flowers, he had no interest in that, he was just interested in making AJ his wife.

"But don't you want to…"

"Listen to me." Punk paused the TV and turned to her, "The only thing I'll be interested in, the only thing I'll be looking at is you. I'd marry you in jeans and a band t-shirt if I could. So let me be woman… you choose whatever the hell you want to choose." He said, watching her just blush and smiled, looking back at the laptop screen as he unpaused the TV, paying attention to his programme as AJ smiled to herself. How did she even land herself with such an amazing man?

_The next day…_

Since Renee and Dean were leaving early in the morning the next day for their trip to Paris for a week, they were headed out for dinner, all 6 of them, 8 if you were including the twins who had been fed, put in their pyjamas and were fast asleep in their double pram at the end of the table where Punk sat across from AJ, both of them keeping an eye on their silent, beautiful children.

"So when is this wedding happening then?" Seth asked into the table's discussion, sitting across from Paige and sitting next to Dean.

"When I get back to work and fill up my bank accounts a little more." Punk said, "We'll be setting a date soon." Punk said as AJ just smiled and twirled her fork around the pasta she had ordered, loving the feeling of her ring clashing against the metal fork, it wasn't just a ring. It was a symbol, a symbol that she was taken and belonged to someone.

"We need to dress little Charlie in a suit and tie." Renee smiled at the images in her head, "I can guarantee he'll win over all the ladies if we do." Renee laughed.

"My boy." Punk chuckled as he looked at Charlie and his sister sleeping peacefully in their pram.

"Who are you even planning to invite? We don't know anybody." Dean chuckled.

"Well… there will be my family, you guys, people from AJ's work, people from our work… I don't know." Punk shrugged.

"Have you even met AJ's mom or dad yet?" Seth said as a joke, to tease Punk in a funny way, seeing two stiff faces come from AJ and Punks way, "Sorry, did I say something?" He looked at Paige in confusion.

"My parents are dead." AJ said his way with a confident smile, not letting it affect her, Seth didn't know, it wasn't his fault, and it strangely didn't bother her too much.

"Shit, sorry." Seth said, feeling terribly awful and awkward now.

"It's fine." AJ let out a small laugh, looking back at Punk who gave her a sweet smile and caring nod.

Seth just gulped and felt Paige lay her hand on top of his, rubbing it gently with a reassuring smile, not wanting him to feel bad for digging himself a bit of a hole, AJ would understand, he didn't know.

Small talk continued to flow through the table as drinks increased and main course plates were replaced by desert plates. Talk about the wedding, talk about the news, politics (which was mostly the men) talk about the twins, future, everything, just normal conversation enjoyed by 6 friends.

AJ was sharing some sort of chocolate cake with Punk and was deliberately flicking the piece he had picked up off his spoon and onto hers, smiling to him as she licked the spoon clean everytime, watching him just laugh and shake his head.

AJ was continuing to stare into Punks eyes, reading the words he was mouthing silently to her when she spotted at the corner of her eye an arrived woman being taken to her table, looking her way.

Her eyes immediately went from loving and mysterious from looking at Punk, to cold and dark, watching Amy smile deliberately over to her and take her seat which had access to stare at her.

"W-What are you looking…" Punk turned around and seen Amy sitting at a table, waving to him, "What the hell is she doing here?" Punk turned back round to AJ, having their own private conversation at the end of the table.

"I don't know." AJ shrugged, her eyes on Amy the full time. She warned her, she told her to stay away and here she was, getting under her skin with every stare and movement she made towards her.

"Ignore her." Punk said, taking a hold of AJ's hand and shaking it slightly for AJ's attention.

"I'm going home." AJ whispered, standing up suddenly, getting everyone's attention.

"AJ, where you going?" Dean asked.

"I'm eh… I don't feel too good. Think I need a lie down." AJ said, tucking the chair in and putting her hands on the handle of the pram which the twins were fast asleep in, "Have a nice time in Paris." AJ smiled to Renee and Dean, saying her goodbyes without letting Punk say anything, heading out of the restaurant, not having the will power or control to sit back and enjoy a meal with her friends with an evil woman looking her way.

Punk just sighed and ran his hands over his hair, trying to fake a smile and participate in the group conversations as it went on for another hour, finally all contributing to the cheque and heading out of the restaurant.

"Do you need a ride Punk?" Seth asked, realising that AJ had taken the car home, Dean and Renee already away.

"N-No… I'll just get a cab, need a bit of fresh air anyway." Punk smiled gratefully as Seth just nodded, putting his arm around Paige as they walked away to their car.

Punk waited around the doors to the restaurant, his head lifting every time someone walked out. He immediately grabbed Amy as soon as she walked out, expecting her to have done so, grabbing her over to him.

"AJ told you to leave us alone." Punk said, "I'd listen to her if I were you." Punk said, taking his grip from her as she seemed to enjoy it.

"She's just a little girl." Amy laughed, "Waiting on me, were you?" She smiled his way.

"Yeah. Waiting to tell you to stay away from me." Punk said, "Leave me, leave AJ… just leave us alone. You aren't wanted here." Punk said.

"I know you're holding back from me." Amy smiled looking at him as she bit her lip, watching him look away from her.

"Leave, I'm calling a cab. Turn away and go back to your hotel." Punk said.

"Make me." Amy said, roughly grabbing Punk and forcing her lips against his, hoping he would kiss back.

Punk wasn't sure what was happening, all he knew was that his lips weren't where they were supposed to be, yet they seemed to react back, just for a second, until he realised what he was doing and immediately pushed Amy away from him, looking towards her as she smiled to herself. What did he just do?

Amy backed away into the shadows and disappeared, happy with the first step of her plan going well. Punk frustratedly turned round, his hand on his forehead as he looked on at the woman in front of him, her black hair blowing in the wind, her arms folded, her lip piercing glistening in the moonlight.

"Paige…" Punk stumbled back, realising he had been spotted.

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	45. Chapter 45

"You… What are you…"

"I left my purse." Paige said, looking Punks way with venom in her eyes, her arms folded.

"You… you never saw any of that." Punk nodded, hoping she would nod with him.

"I saw everything." Paige whispered as she walked by him and back into the restaurant to collect her purse that she had forgotten.

Meanwhile Punk was outside the restaurant cursing to himself, pacing up and down the path and wondering why on earth did he kiss back, even if it was for just a second, he still done it and he was so ashamed, disgusted of himself for doing so.

Paige emerged back from the restaurant and back into Punks eye sight, standing in front of him again where he looked ready to get down on his knees and beg her not to say anything.

"Please, you can't tell anyone." Punk begged, feeling so despicable and pathetic.

"I won't." Paige shook her head, "You will." Paige looked at his green eye that she saw right through, watching him shake his head in obvious confusion, "I'll give you a week…" Paige walked towards him, a rather demanding and wicked side coming to Punks view that he had never seen, "If you haven't told AJ. I'll tell her myself." She said, backing away and turning her back to him as she walked back to the back of the parking lott where Seth was waiting on her.

Punk just ran his hands over his hair, crouching down and resting his hands flat on his forehead, trying to process the situation he had found himself in now. AJ wouldn't let him near her if she found out, they'd be over in a flash and that was what was scaring him the most. He felt like he had betrayed her, threw every love she ever gave him back in her face and that wasn't what he wanted to do. He couldn't live with himself if he didn't tell her anyway, this was just a clear example of how much he didn't deserve her.

_Later that night…_

Punk crept into the house later on in the night, the house silent with no noise or movement anywhere. It was obvious AJ and the twins were asleep.

He headed straight upstairs, replaying in his mind what he had done tonight and how he was the worst boyfriend to ever exist. It wasn't like he wanted to kiss Amy, far from it, he just kissed back when she forced herself on him, he knew his natural instinct would have told him to push her away right when she went for him, but that's the guilt he had to live with until he told AJ.

He walked into their dark room where AJ was fast asleep, lying on her back, her chest moving up and down in rhythm of her ghostly breathing that echoed the room silently. He knew how much this would crush her, upset her, perhaps bring her to tears, he knew if he told her it didn't mean anything and that he pushed her away, that still wouldn't matter, all she'd take into her brain would be that her boyfriend, the father of her children had kissed another woman while she was at home putting their twins to bed, that's all she would take in and so she rightly should.

He stripped down to his boxers and got into bed beside her, feeling like he didn't even have the right for that. He felt her hand creep up and lay on his chest, feeling his presence but somehow staying fast asleep as she cuddled up to his body.

Punk slowly and awkwardly put his arm around her, knowing he wouldn't sleep at all tonight. He didn't deserve her, that's all he could think about, he didn't deserve her kind and sweet heart.

_The next morning…_

Punk wasn't kidding when he said he wouldn't sleep, he never. Not once did his eyes close, he just stayed awake thinking about how disgusting he was and how much he loved AJ and how he couldn't picture his life without her or the twins. He needed to tell her and hope that she would take into consideration that it was her that forced herself on him and that yes after he kissed back for just a few seconds, he did push her away and told her to get lost, but then again… they still kissed, and that's all AJ would process in her brain.

"Morning…" AJ smiled, looking up at him as she lay in her favourite place, his arms.

"Morning." Punk smiled down to her as best he could, hardly having the stomach or guts to look her in the eye and smile like everything was ok.

"When did you get in last night?" She asked him. She still felt bad for not staying the full night with her friends, she just couldn't bear to be sat being stared at the full night by someone she really wanted to slap, she felt it was best to just leave and get the twins to bed.

"Not long after you." Punk said.

"I'm sorry for leaving so early and suddenly. Just couldn't sit there looking at her." AJ shook her head to herself.

"You don't have to apologise." Punk said immediately, she didn't need to apologise for anything, he did.

"I know. I just felt bad." AJ said, looking up and kissing him sweetly.

Punk kissed her back and heard one thousand and one voices in his head, telling him to tell her the truth, before it all turned into a huge lie or secret, but then he didn't know if he could bear to see the look on her face, or even worse, watch her leave him. He needed to figure out a way to tell her in a way that didn't end with him losing her and his children.

"You know…" AJ smiled as she pulled back from the kiss, "The twins are still sleeping." She smiled up at him, tapping her fingers along his bare chest as she smiled up at him with high intentions.

She watched Punk kiss her again and pull her fully on top of him, his hands round her waist as she cupped his cheeks whilst indulging her mouth in his.

Punk knew this wasn't the best idea, but he had to have her like this just one last time because he knew for sure it might never be the same between them both once she knew what he had done.

Punk handled her so delicately, the kiss sparking up the dawned room, silent little happy and satisfied moans coming from AJ, vibrating through the kiss as she pulled back for a breath, staying fairly close to him, feeling him turn tables to where she was on her back and he was hovering over her, finding it easier this way, getting to see all of her underneath him, asking and begging for more.

He left a trail of kisses from her mouth down her jawline to her tanned, caramel skinned neck, his breath breezing over the hot kisses, making her shiver, creating goose bumps up her arm.

AJ got so lost in him whenever they had sex, she could forget about everything, anything she was ever worried about and it was always just came back to her and him together, she felt safe and protected from the world and there was no better feeling.

"Phil…" AJ moaned, her hands lying flat on his bare back, feeling his length poke through his boxers, touching against her mid-section.

"God, you're so beautiful." Punk moaned as he removed his lips from her sweet neck, grabbing the hem of her pyjama shirt and lifting it over her head, smiling when he realised she wasn't wearing a bra.

AJ just blushed and shut her eyes, relaxing her head back on the pillow, moaning softly when she felt Punk put his hands on her. They were cold but soft, enough to make a small arch in her back.

Punk massaged both breasts, watching her facial movement from above, her smile and moaning driving him insane. He then kept his hand on the left breast while lowering his mouth and swirling his tongue around the tender flesh on the right.

He couldn't imagine life without her, being parted from her was the worst thing he could ever imagine, not having these moments, not getting to be close and intimate like this, he couldn't go on, but he guessed he should have thought about that before kissing Amy back.

"Phil… baby, that feels so good." AJ moaned, cupping the back of his head as he continued to toy around with her, doing what he done best, loving her completely until she was numb, satisfied and shaking with pleasure.

Punk moved back to her lips, planting multiple kisses as he slid her pyjama shorts down her legs, when he had done so he then left a hot loud kiss as their lips glided off one another and parted.

He removed his boxers while keeping his eyes on her lustful ones, stroking himself up and down before he lined himself up with her, pushing into her warmth and closed in love, his hands on either side of her head on the mattress, keeping himself up as he hovered over her gasping body.

"Oh god…" AJ moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck, forcing him down to kiss her as he did, moving his hips against her, the sound of skin touching skin echoing the room and their lips touching intimately.

"April." Punk pulled away from the kiss, his head buried into her neck as his thrusts increased into her, "Tell me when you're close." He whispered, lifting his head back up and looking upon her as he continued to pound away, watching her grab the sheets beside her, her fists tight and her face filled with so many different pleasures.

"Phil…" She grabbed his back again, her nails dragging down his back, "I love you…" She gasped as her voice hitched, feeling her lips being silenced again by his lips, getting lost in him and forgetting everything else existed.

A few more thrusts, a few more whispers, pulls and tugs and everything was coming to a close. "Punk… Phil, I'm gona… uh…" She moaned as Punk thrust rapidly into her, his hip bones crashing against hers as her knuckles went white from grabbing the pillow above her, a tingling in her stomach building up to her very core, feeling Punk drag along her G-spot fast and quickly until it finally set her off.

"Phil." AJ moaned, grasping at his shoulders as her body arched off the bed a little, the sudden jolt of pleasure overwhelming her and shaking her to the core, collapsing back on the bed and rolling her head back as her orgasm still spiralled out of control, hearing Punk growl low above her.

"April… Oh god. Sweetheart…" Punk moaned as he quickly pulled out of her, spilling his seed on her stomach as his length pulsed it's pleasure all the way through his body and up to his brain where his eyes were at the back of his head whilst he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily into her hear as he rested his forehead on her shoulder, feeling her hand stretch over and stroke his hair.

Before Punk could get relaxed, he reached over to the nightstand where a box of tissues were sitting from AJ's flu last week and grabbed a few, wiping her stomach as she still breathed heavily while he done so, running her hand through her hair as she watched Punk throw the tissues in the small trash bag in the corner, shimmying up the bed and lying on his side with her lying into him, their naked bodies pressed against each other as she smiled into him.

"Thanks for that." AJ smiled sweetly up at him, reaching up and pecking him on the lips, smiling into the kiss, feeling him hardly kiss back, his whole body going rigid and stiff, "Phil… are you ok?" She asked.

"April… I've fucked up… real bad."

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**

**Different side of Paige we are seeing and it looks like Punk will reveal all in the next chapter. Stay tuned and keep up the REVIEWS, thank you for reading and supporting the story.**


	46. Chapter 46

"What? What's wrong?" AJ asked, pulling the sheets to her body as she sat up, watching him do the same.

"Just… before I get into things I just want you to know that I love you, no one else." He said, trying to make this situation a little bit better, even though nothing was going to make it better.

"Phil… you're scaring me." AJ panicked.

"When you left last night, with the twins… I planned on getting a cab home, I was waiting to phone one outside and Amy came out, I told her to stay away from us and that she needed to move on, but she… she threw herself on me…" Punk said, watching AJ turn away from him, "I-I kissed her back but then realised what I was doing and pushed her away…" Punk said, looking at AJ looking down, holding the sheets to her body as tight as she could, not even being able to look at him, after what they had just done especially.

She was shocked to say the least, she never thought Punk would do this and she could already hear her heart snap in half. She felt so hurt and just so small, like she was second best. It didn't make a difference to her that he eventually pushed her away or that it was her that came onto him, he still kissed her back and that was all she needed to know.

"Please… say something." Punk said with hesitation, scared of how she would react.

"What do you want me to say?" AJ said with a lump in her throat, turning to him, going from loving all of him to extremely disliking every single inch of him, maybe she even hated him, she couldn't understand why he kissed her back, why did he even go near her.

"I'm sorry. I could spend all day saying how sorry I am. It was just a stupid mistake and it meant nothing. I didn't sleep all last night thinking about it and…"

"Just… stop talking." AJ silenced him, "Either you still have feelings for her or you are just one stupid stupid man." AJ said, standing up and putting a dressing gown on.

"I'm a stupid stupid man." Punk said, "It's you I love. It's you I want to be with." Punk said.

"Then what on the earth were you doing kissing her then?!" AJ screamed, "I can't…" She held her forehead, "I can't believe you."

"I don't know what came over me. We all make mistakes, this was one of them. I am so… so sorry. I spent all night and morning thinking about it." Punk said.

"Yeah. I bet you did. See her face when you were fucking me, did you? Bite your tongue from saying her name?" She folded her arms.

"No, AJ. No." Punk shook his head immediately, "Don't be ridiculous." He said, "Please, just… I don't want to lose you over this. It was a stupid, meaningless, mistake that will never happen again. I promise…" Punk said, standing up and putting his boxers on, making his way round to her.

"Your promises…" AJ wiggled her engagement ring off her finger, "They mean nothing to me." She spat, slamming it against his chest as he caught it, just in time for the twins to awake with their cries.

Punk watched as she glared at him, exiting the room door and going to attend their infant children. He had never been so ashamed, so embarrassed and disgusted with himself in his life, he'd hurt the one woman he wanted in life and that was what he was most ashamed of.

AJ stood in the twins room with Sam tucked into her, bouncing her lightly as tears rolled down her eyes as she silently cried whilst holding her daughter, Charlie in his crib beside her not making any noise and just staring up at her. She had never felt so small and hurt ever before. Knowing that the person she loved and planned to spend the rest of her life with had touched another girl the way she was only allowed to touch by him, it was tearing her apart on the inside and eventually showing on the outside from the tears she cried against her baby girl.

"April…" Punk said as he opened the twin's door, looking on at AJ with Sam, her tears tearing holes in his heart.

"I want you out." AJ said, sniffling her emotions away as she lay Sam back down in her crib, drying her tears quickly, "I want you out of the house."

"AJ, C'mon… we can sit down and talk about this…"

"There isn't anything to talk about. You kissed another woman and came back home into our bed like nothing happened and proceeded to sleep with me the next morning without telling me. I want you gone." She said.

"April… please, what about the kids?" Punk said.

"You can stay with Seth or something, he can come pick them up to spend some nights with you, but I don't want to see your face… in fact, I don't even want to hear your name." She said, "I'll give you an hour to pack a bag." She said as she walked by him and downstairs to get the twins their bottles.

Punk just banged his head off the wall continuously, understanding that he probably deserved this, but he didn't want to go through with it, he didn't want to be thrown out of his own house, away from his girlfriend and his twins, he'd fucked up like he'd never fucked up before.

Nevertheless, within an hour he had a bag packed with clothes for at least a week. He gave the twins a kiss each, knowing he probably wouldn't see them until a few day's time which was the longest he'd gone without seeing them.

Then he headed downstairs were AJ was already waiting at the door, opening it wide for him to get out, she couldn't stand the sight of him any longer and didn't want him around, for the time being anyway, she'd never felt so betrayed in her whole entire life.

"Whenever you want to talk." Punk nodded to her as she stared away from him, pretending she couldn't hear him, "I love you." He said, knowing for sure he wouldn't get they three words back.

"Phil…" AJ looked at him pathetically, "Get out." She said, not knowing why he wasn't understanding that she didn't want to see him right now.

Punk just nodded and walked out, hearing the door bang behind him as soon as he took one step out, hearing her turn the lock and put the chain on. He didn't know how he was going to put any of this right, but what he did know was that he couldn't afford to lose AJ, not now… not ever and if he did, it was all his own fault.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	47. Chapter 47

"Punk… what are you doing?" Seth asked as he swung the door open, wondering why Punk was standing at his apartment door with a bag.

"Sorry Seth. You wouldn't mind if I crashed here for a little while? Me and April are on thin ice right now." He said, watching Seth open the door wider as he walked in.

"What do you mean? What did you do?" Seth asked, closing the door behind Punk, automatically assuming that it was Punk that had broke AJ's temper.

"I kissed Amy." Punk said, collapsing on the couch and slamming his head back.

"What?" Seth said in shock, quickly sitting down beside Punk, "I didn't even know she was in town, I knew she sent you a card and that, I didn't know you'd spoken to her." Seth said.

"She came to the house a few days ago, told me she still loved me. I shoed her away, then she was at dinner last night, deliberately sitting across from us, so April left, then I went out to wait on a cab and she was there and it just… it just happened. She came on to me, I kissed her back and then pushed her away and now everything is ruined." Punk said.

"You complete and utter asshole…" Seth shook his head, "Why'd you kiss her back?" Seth pushed Punk's shoulder like a child.

"I don't know." Punk put his hands up, "I honestly don't. Now anything I'm telling AJ she's just ignoring, she took off her engagement ring for crying out loud." Punk sighed.

"Well I can't say you didn't deserve it. Cause you did." Seth said.

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me." Punk nodded with a sarcastic smile.

"You can have Dean's room since he's away. When will you see the twins?" Seth asked.

"I'm not sure. When AJ lets me I guess. She'll probably want you to pick them up, I don't think she likes my face at the moment." Punk said.

"I'm sure things will work out." Seth patted his hand on Punks back, "Just give it some time." He said as Punk just smiled the best he could.

Throughout the day, Punk became a couch potato and laid up on the couch while watching TV, not paying attention to it and thinking about how badly he had fucked up while Seth tidied up around him.

"Can you use a plate?" Seth asked sternly as he watched Punk eat a sandwich, the crumbs falling on the couch and on the floor.

"Can you stop being such a woman?" Punk rolled his eyes, "Make me some toast, yeah?" Punk said, taking full advantage of living with Seth again.

A few minutes later Seth came back into the living room with a plate of toast for Punk, handing him the plate and watching Punk sit the plate over on the table and take a piece off, not getting the purpose of why Seth put the plate there.

"Use the fucking plate!" Seth shouted.

"My arms will get sore from holding it up." Punk frowned.

"No wonder AJ threw you out. You're like a useless, toast eating locust." Seth rolled his eyes.

"Stop yelling at me. I miss AJ." Punk said, looking at the TV and back to Seth who stood staring at him with his hands on his hips, "Fine… fucking fine…" Punk rolled his eyes and grabbed the plate up to his mouth as he ate the crumby toast, Seth smiling and continuing to tidy up the apartment, getting some work done now that Dean was out the road.

A few hours spiralled on and Punk was still moaning and asking Seth on what he could do to make the situation better, not being able to think about anything other than AJ who was probably doing the same as him, lying on the couch and crying on the inside, and outside probably.

"Honestly Punk, just give her a few days and for the love of god just shut up." Seth said, "I love you, I care about you, but please shut up and watch Teen Mom 2." Seth pointed to the TV.

"I forgot how annoying it was to live with you." Punk rolled his eyes, turning his head back to the TV.

"And I forgot how messy you are." Seth said, "Listen… AJ loves you, yeah she hates you right now but she loves you and she always will, give her a few days to think to herself, you'll work things out and you'll be back living with her in no time…" He said as Punk just nodded, "I hope." Seth mumbled to himself.

_Later that night…_

"I'm getting Chinese food for dinner, do you want anything?" Seth asked as he put his coat on to head out and get dinner, "Or do you just want more toast?" He said, watching Punk sit up on the couch and run his hands through his face.

"I'll just have toast." Punk mumbled, "Thanks for letting me stay man. I'll make sure to buy you more bread before I leave." He said, "Could you maybe go see AJ on your way home, see if she is ok? I'm worried about her." He said.

"Yeah, whatever." Seth nodded, "Things will get better. She's just upset right now, let her come round. I'll see about having the twins stay tomorrow too." Seth said.

"Alright." Punk nodded, "Thanks." He smiled tiredly, having not slept in nearly 48 hours.

Seth just nodded and left the apartment, leaving Punk to continue sulking over how stupid and idiotic he was and how much he loved AJ and didn't want to lose her.

_Later on…_

After standing in an exhausting queue just for some Chinese food, Seth made his way home, making sure to stop by to see AJ on his way.

"Seth… what are you doing here?" AJ asked, her eyes puffy, in her pyjamas, her nose red from blowing it so much.

"I was sent by Punk, and I genuinely wanted to see if you were ok." Seth walked in, walking into the living room and taking a seat, looking at the couch and the table beside it which had a plate of toast on it, "What is it with you two?" He said.

"What?" AJ asked, coming into the living room and sitting down.

"Nothing…" Seth said, "You ok?" He asked, walking over and taking the seat next to her, figuring she might need a hug, Renee wasn't here to give her one and she didn't know Paige well enough to call up and cry to.

"I just didn't think he would do anything like this." AJ sighed, tears flowing out of her eyes now without her even noticing, she was just so torn apart.

"Things will get better. For it's worth, he's spent the full day telling me how much of a dick he has been and how much he missed you and the twins and still loved you." Seth said.

"Ugh, I'm sorry… he must be annoying you." AJ rolled her eyes.

"Well…" Seth nodded from side to side, "Just… take it from me, he really doesn't love any other woman apart from you." He said.

"Then why did he kiss her?" AJ looked at him with a sigh, "Everyone I end up getting close to and loving either leaves me crying or punched in the face." AJ said, the water works starting as she cried beside Seth, so lost and confused, like this whole year had just been a lie and that everything that Amy told her, about Punk getting bored of her soon was true, she just missed him so much yet at the same time she wanted to rip his throat out.

"C'mon…" Seth said, wrapping his arm around AJ as she hugged into him, crying into him loudly, and genuinely not knowing what to do. She didn't know if she could ever trust Punk again and everyone knew a relationship was nothing without trust.

"Shh… things will get better." Seth said, trying his best to comfort her, not really know what to say, he was one hundred percent on her side, but Punk was his best friend, he wasn't going to badmouth him.

"I'm sorry…" AJ said as she lifted her head up and dried her tears, "I shouldn't be doing this to you." She said, feeling like she was putting Seth in the middle of her and Punk at the moment.

"Hey, I'm your friend just as much as his. And as your friend, I'm telling you, everything is going to be alright." Seth smiled down to her as she looked up to him with a nod, staring at him differently than what she usually stared at him like.

"Thanks for being here for me." AJ smiled, looking up at Seth, appreciating his shoulder for her crying, her head in a different place, a completely different place as she continued to stare up at him.

"AJ…" Seth said suddenly, knowing what that look signalled.

"Shh." AJ shook her head, "Just… shut up…" She said, pulling his head down to her and pressing her lips against his.

Seth didn't know what was happening, he had a girlfriend, AJ had Punk… well, sort of. Why was this happening, yet… he didn't have any urge to push her away, in fact… he encouraged the kiss and deepened it, both their heads so far disappeared from this room as none of them know ledged what they were actually doing. AJ seen it as thanking a friend, Seth seen it as helping a friend, yet both of them knew this was not what friends done, but it didn't stop them, none of them pushed one of the other away, they weren't thinking of the consequences that this would cause and AJ didn't take into consideration that she was perhaps being the biggest hypocrite in the world while Seth was being the worst friend in the world.

**Oh.**

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	48. Chapter 48

AJ laid still and quiet, her breathing echoing the room as did the man's beside her. Her stomach was in knots with guilt. She was truly disgusted with herself and had no one but to blame but herself. She'd took their situation to new heights, eating her own words that she spat in venom at him just a few hours ago and here she was, laying with his best friend, nothing hiding her, letting him look at her the way she only wanted Punk to look at her. Her clothes in a pile beside the couch, his scattered around the room to, the last hour fading into a blur for both of them as they both came out of the moment and realised what they had done.

Seth wasn't sure how he ended up like this with AJ, a girl he shouldn't have ever seen like this, he wouldn't look at her the same way anymore, he wouldn't speak to her the same. He couldn't tell exactly how they ended up taking things to the highest limits like they had, but they did and that was the main issue. It wasn't good sex, it was painful sex, like his brain was telling him to step away and put his clothes on but everything else was telling him to just let her have what she clearly wanted.

The baby monitor beside them broke the heavy silence, cries echoing through the speaker, both of them looking at each other for the first time since they had committed their dirty deed.

"I better get them." AJ said in a mumble but clear enough for Seth to understand, both of them sitting up feeling the most extreme awkwardness around the air, both being naked when they knew they shouldn't have been.

AJ quickly gathered her clothes and put them on as fast as she ever had, quickly escaping without looking at him, running upstairs and stopping at the top, leaning her hand on her forehead as she held in her tears. What had she done?

After changing the twin's diapers and putting them back to sleep, she took a deep breath and headed downstairs. She had to speak to him at one point, even if she didn't want to.

"I better be going." Seth said, meeting her in the hallway as she just got downstairs at the front door.

"That was a m…"

"Mistake…" Seth finished for her, "I know." He nodded.

"What do we do?" AJ asked him, still not being able to look at him the same way she did before they just slept together.

"I'm not sure." Seth shrugged, watching her guilty and nervous face, knowing what she was thinking, "I won't tell him. Not right now anyway." He said.

"I'm sorry… I don't know why I even… I'm not thinking straight and I just…"

"It's alright. It's not your fault." Seth said.

"It is." AJ said, knowing fine well that if she didn't kiss him, they wouldn't have had sex and found themselves in this horrible situation.

"I should go." Seth said, feeling intoxicated in his own guilt, needing air.

AJ just nodded and watched him open the door, slowly slipping out of it and closing it over behind him. She quickly ran to it and locked it, putting the chain on it and turning around with her hands in her hair, sliding down the door, leaning her back against it as she sat on the ground, her hands buried in her hair with stress, guilt, fear and almost every feeling that was opposite of feeling good. She could never redeem herself from this, Punks mistake almost seemed like nothing now compared to what she had just done.

_With Seth…_

Seth sat in his car for a minute, his head on the steering wheel, still being able to smell her fragrance on his body. He had never done such a despicable thing in his life. Yeah… she might have started it, but he made sure they finished what they started, he would never forgive himself for this, as soon as Punk found out he would be dead and friendless. He couldn't have been any more stupid.

He drove home still on another planet, just thinking of Punks face the minute he found out, how upset and angry he would be and so he deserved to be, he was only meant to go round and give AJ a hug, find out when Punk could see the twins, but instead he wound up having sex with AJ on her couch. He couldn't live with himself or even pretend to smile.

He parked outside the apartment and got out of the car, almost forgetting to lock the car on his way into the apartment block, walking upstairs slowly with his hands in his jacket pockets, looking down at his feet with a ton of deepness on his back, walking in through the apartment door to find Punk still in the same position he left him in.

"Took your time." Punk rolled his eyes, watching Seth walk into the apartment slowly, empty handed with no chinese food that he intended to go out and get but left in the car.

"There was… traffic." Seth said, going into the kitchen.

Punk stood up and followed Seth into the kitchen, walking in and instantly smelling the fragrance that AJ wore, really missing her.

"God you smell like her." He sighed, watching Seth turn round suddenly.

"What?" Seth looked at him defensively.

"You smell like AJ. The perfume she wears." Punk said again, looking at Seth strangely.

"Yeah… I gave her a hug when I went in…" Seth said, turning away from Punk and biting his lip in fear, disgusted with himself, not being able to look at Punk in the eye.

"How is she? When can I see the twins?" Punk asked. He would do anything to be with AJ right now and with the twins.

"Em… she's ok. She didn't say when you could see them. Sorry." Seth said, pretending he was doing something, his back turned to Punk.

"You didn't ask her?" Punk asked, his left hand leaning on the kitchen counter, looking at Seth's back.

"No." Seth said, "You can text her or something." Seth said.

"Well you could have just asked her while you were there." Punk said as he scrunched his nose up in confusion.

"This is your mess. Not mine. You sort it out." Seth said, turning to face him for a second and then walking past him, heading for a shower to get his guilt watched away, not sure if he could wash it away, ever.

Punk just stood in the kitchen and folded his arms. Things couldn't have been worse, he just wanted his girlfriend and his twins back, he loved AJ so much and hopefully she would realise that, the sooner the better.

_With AJ…_

AJ had already been for a shower. She went for one as soon as Seth left, trying to wash away all her sins and demons that were created from sleeping with him, scrubbing herself until her skin was red. She had never done such a thing in her life, she was always on the opposite side, she was always the one to be mistreated or hurt but this time she had played out the bad guy. She knew that when Punk found out he would hate every inch of her, there would be no wedding, maybe he'd end up going back with Amy because of what she had done, she was so scared and so disgusted. Not only had she slept with his best friend, she'd slept with a man who was in a relationship, she hadn't just ruined her own relationship with Punk, she'd no doubt ruined Seth and Paige's relationship. She had to tell Punk, before things bottled up in her head too much. The least she could do was be honest with him and maybe… just maybe he could look past it, something was telling her that wouldn't happen.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	49. Chapter 49

"Look at the view." Dean whistled, gazing out the balcony in their apartment, the night sky almost looking like it was lit up by the Eifel tower in the distance. Dean had never travelled anywhere out of Chicago and it was quite overwhelming to be half way across the world from his normal routine. The air was different, the way of life was different and he was so amazed, not to mention everything in Paris seemed so much sexier, Renee's words not his.

"It's beautiful isn't it." Renee smiled, joining him outside, both of them leaning over the barrier, music travelling through the town below them, the Eifel tower glittering in the distance of their view, she couldn't have dreamed of being here with anyone other than Dean.

"Not as beautiful as you." Dean turned to her with a smile, watching her blush and tuck her blonde hair behind her ear.

"Thank you for taking me here. I've never been given such a thoughtful gift and it really means a lot to me. It means more that I can be here with you." She smiled.

"You deserve it all. It's nice to get away where it's just us two." Dean smiled, "Now go get yourself pretty. We'll go out into the town, follow the music to the good bars and have red wine and bread." He smiled to her as she laughed.

"You stereotypical man, Dean Ambrose." Renee laughed, playfully hitting him as she went back into the apartment room, leaving Dean staring into the night city of Paris, lost in a world he never knew existed, a world where it was just him and Renee, a world he didn't want to leave.

_With Punk…_

Punk barely slept the full night. He tossed and turned in Dean's bed just thinking about AJ and how much she was hurting, wondering if she would ever consider letting him back in the house. He missed the twins so much, their cheeky little faces when they woke him in the morning, the precious moment feeding them, their little hands latching on to his finger, trying to get them to smile every day, he just couldn't bear to be split from them. He knew he fucked up but he just wanted a chance to prove to AJ how much he loved her, he would get on his knees if he had to.

He heard Seth get up and leave for work a few hours ago. He felt like he was intruding on him and constantly moaning about AJ, he could see from last night he was getting annoyed and that was also another reason that he needed to be back in house with AJ and the twins.

He got up and showered, throwing new clothes on and walking to his and AJ's house about fifteen minutes away, the cold air sharp on his face as he walked down the pavement and to his house, knocking at the door with his hood up as he stood back, waiting for her to answer the door. He wasn't leaving until they had sorted things out and were back to normal, or close to normal.

"Phil…" AJ said as she opened the door, pausing as she looked him in the eye, being able to tell that he didn't know about her and Seth yet, his facial expression still guilty himself.

"April…" Punk said, taking his hood down and looking at her, she still looked as white as a ghost and her eyes were all red and puffy, not to mention she looked a little frightened of him, "I'm not leaving until we work things out. Please, let me in, let me see the twins." Punk said, begging.

AJ just nodded, in no position to turn him away, opening the door wide and letting him come in, shutting the door behind him as he walked away into the living room were the twins were, hearing him talking to them straight away, giving them loud kisses each and holding out little teddies in front of them. AJ watched on and could tell how much he had missed them.

"Do you want anything?" She asked him, sitting down on the couch, running her hands up and down her skinny jeans nervously.

"Yes. I want to come back home with you and the twins." Punk said, sitting up beside her, "I really miss you and I can't sleep at night knowing you're upset over what I done. I just want you to know how much I love you, there's no one else I want." Punk said.

AJ just nodded, not really knowing how to respond. She couldn't shout at him anymore, she had lost the right to do that when she let another man touch her. "Phil, I'm really not in the mood to talk right now." She shook her head.

"Then don't talk… just listen to me." Punk said, "I would never have asked you to marry me if I didn't love you. Kissing Amy was the worst mistake I have ever made and I promise you, it won't happen again, I'm not prepared to let you go over me being a complete idiot… we can forget this ever happened, please April… I'm begging you." Punk said, looking at her as she just took deep breaths and stood up.

"Phil please, can you just leave, I don't want to talk about this right now." AJ said as he stood up and took her hands in his suddenly, looking down at her.

"I love you. You are my girl and you always will be, I wasn't thinking and I was stupid, you're the one April, there's no other woman out there that I love like I love you, and our twins…" He looked to the twins lying over beside each other, "They need us to be the mom and dad that love each other again, I don't want to fight with you around them… please, let's just forget about this." Punk said.

"Phil now isn't a good time, just… we'll talk later." AJ nodded.

"I am not waiting until later April, I want to be back home with you and the twins by tonight, I'm not staying away any longer." Punk said.

"Please, just give me some time." AJ begged, not being able to deal with seeing him here apologising his heart out when it was her that needed to apologise.

"No April… Please, just tell me what to do… tell me what to do to fix this." Punk said, not letting AJ's hands go, begging and pleading that anything he said would make a difference to how she was feeling towards him.

AJ just shook her head, holding in her tears and secrets behind them, not bearing to look at him pleading for her forgiveness when she was equally as guilty now, if not worse.

"I'll got on my knees…" Punk said, sinking down to his knees in front of her, legitimately begging her to forgive him, trying to show how much he knew he fucked up and loved her.

"Phil…" AJ sighed as she looked down at him, his hands on her hips as he kneeled before her, begging with everything he had.

"Please April… I need you…" Punk said, his voice going weak, doing everything he could to show how much he loved her, he didn't know what else he could do if his words didn't get through to her.

"I slept with Seth." AJ squeaked, not being able to go any longer with him continuously saying how sorry he was while she played all innocent, her head practically pulsing with the guilt.

She looked down at him, his face completely dropping, his hands dropping from hers as he looked up at her, his actions completely changing, his mind set spinning around as he looked up at her in disbelief. Was this some sort of wind up?

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	50. Chapter 50

"You what?" Punk stood up straight, looking down upon her now, overshadowing her as she gulped nervously, every bone in his body aching as he could sense she was telling the truth and this wasn't some sort of wind up that he hoped it was.

"I slept with Seth." AJ said again, looking up at him as he looked down at her, feeling intimidated by him as he stood over her.

Punks breathing echoed room, his palms were sweating from the thoughts running through his mind, not only had AJ slept with another man, she'd slept with his best friend.

"When?" Punk asked sternly, backing away from AJ to keep his anger away from her, not wanting to do anything he regretted.

"Yesterday. He came round to see how I was, I… we just…" AJ watched as Punk closed his eyes and turned his head in disgust, "It just happened." She mumbled.

"What… is this your way of getting back at me? Did you intentionally sleep with him just to piss me off? I can't… I can't believe you…" Punk said, his hands buried in his hair on top of his head as he looked around the room, not knowing what to do with himself, punch a wall, question AJ, punch Seth, take the twins and leave… he was so lost and hurt, he never thought AJ would be capable of doing something like this, not in a million years.

"Please… it wasn't intentional, I feel physically sick whenever I think about it, ok? I… I was crying, upset, I felt like you didn't love me and I wasn't thinking right, I kissed him and it just happened. Please Phil, don't be mad." AJ said.

"Mad?!" Punk shouted, "Don't worry I'm not mad. I'm fuming. You wait until I see him." Punk pointed to her, not believing that Seth had done this, or AJ for that matter, "How could you?" Punk looked at her like she was such a despicable human being, which from his point of view she was.

"I know. I feel horrible, I'm so scared that… this might affect our relationship for good but… we can get through this, right?" AJ said.

"I don't think I can answer that right now, April." Punk said, looking straight at her. All he could see was Seth's hands all over her, her vulnerable state lying in his arms after they done what only him and AJ were supposed to do. "You slept with my best friend while our children slept upstairs." He gritted his teeth.

"Don't you think I know that?!" AJ shouted as she walked towards him, looking just as scary as he did, "I know. I know I have fucked up but if you hadn't of kissed Amy, we wouldn't even be fighting." She said, knowing she wasn't in any position to turn this all around on him, even though strictly speaking, what she said was true.

"Oh. So it's all my fault?" Punk said, "What's next AJ? Is this what's going to happen every time I upset you, you go running to my friends?" Punk said.

"How about you just don't upset me in the first place." AJ said as she threw her arms up in the air.

Punk just sighed and looked down at the ground, looking back up and taking a deep breath, "There's no excuse you can make to justify sleeping with Seth and you know it." Punk said.

"I know what I done. I regret it of course but you can't act all innocent just because this is overshadowing your kiss with Amy." AJ said.

"Do I have to explain to you the difference between a kiss and having someone fuck you?" Punk said, going down to eye level as if making fun of her height, watching her hug her arms and back away a little.

"I want you to leave." AJ said, "I want you to get out of the house right now." She shivered.

"I am not leaving until I get a worthy explanation to why all of this has happened." Punk said, "And trust me, I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for them." Punk pointed to the twins who were now asleep even through their parents shouting, both of them lying close to each other with their tiny eyes closed, "They deserve the best environment to grow up around and me and you aren't starting off pretty well." Punk said.

"What do you want me to say?" AJ said, "I'm sorry. Clearly we've both made mistakes, we can sit down and talk about everything, look past it all and have a new start, we could go away for the week…" She walked over to him, holding his arm, "We could go away, just me, you and the twins. Have time to ourselves…" AJ said as Punk shook his arm away from her touch.

"I made a mistake, April. You've ruined our relationship." Punk said, "I got down on my god damn knees there, begging you to forgive me, feeling like I was the worse person in the world, feeling so annoyed with myself for upsetting you when you were standing there just as guilty, listening to me go on and on."

"I'm sorry ok… what more do you want me to say. I am disgusted with myself, I am a mother and I'm off sleeping with someone else, I feel ashamed of myself, I can't look at myself in the mirror. You have no idea how sorry I am. Let's just… let's start over again, pretend these past weeks never happened, focus on the twins because they're the ones that are going to suffer throughout all of this… please, don't let us become the parents you fear that we'll be." AJ said, watching Punks study the twins, smiling as Sam made little shapes with her mouth in her sleep, turning his attention back to AJ, his smile dropping.

"I don't think I can ever pretend that you never slept with him. I understand you were upset, I get it… you weren't thinking… but something in your head must have told you that sleeping with Seth wasn't going to make this situation any better. I thought you were better than this." Punk shook his head.

"And I thought you'd never kiss someone else while I was at home, but you did." AJ said, still not letting Punk slip into the good guy act now.

"Not the same thing." Punk shook his head, "Not even close." He said, walking over to the twins and lifting them up into his arms as AJ looked on.

"What are you doing? Put them back down." AJ said as she watched Punk walk by her with their sleeping twins in his arms.

Punk just ignored AJ and walked on out into the hall, managing to open the front door, walking out into the cold and opening their car that Punk had left the night before, deciding to walk to Seth and Dean's, getting the twins into their car seats as AJ followed Punk out.

"You are not taking my kids away from me." She said, pushing him slightly out of the way, wanting her children back in their home, feeling Punk move her out the way without hurting her of course, finishing strapping the twins in and closing the car door over.

"I'll call you within the next few days, I don't think I want to be around you… or Seth for that matter. I'm taking the twins and I'm going to visit my mom."

"Well… let me come with you… yeah, we can go out and let your mom watch the twins, me and you can talk and…"

"April, I don't even want to look at you, never mind talk to you." Punk said, "Just go back in the house, I'll contact you soon."

"You can't take them from me." AJ said.

"I'm not." Punk said, "Only for a few days, I'm not going to be the one that has to be torn apart from them. This is your mess." He said, "Tell Seth that our friendship is done." Punk said, getting into the driver's seat of the car, keeping the door opened as April held it open.

"Phil… please…" She said, tears streaming down her eyes, "Don't do this… you're just as guilty as I am… we've both been in the wrong, let's just calm down, go back in the house and talk things through. You don't have to do this." She said, feeling him move her hand away from the door, watching him bang it close as he started the engine.

AJ had no choice than to stand back and watch him drive away, not being able to do anything to stop him. Not only was she left with the disappointment of him and the looks of his disgusted face replaying in her mind, but he had taken her twins away from her, leaving her cold and alone, feeling like she wasn't capable to look after them.

She watched as he drove off, leaving her empty with her own guilt, definitely feeling like he had won the fight, the only good thing that came out of this was him not immediately wanting to kill Seth, she figured he was more disappointed and hurt by her, the woman he loved who had flat out cheated on him all the way.

She'd only made situations worse and now was left with nothing, for the time being. Couldn't he understand that she still loved him and that sleeping with Seth meant nothing, she was so upset with the mistake he had made that she turned to Seth for reassuring comfort, but she knew better than to blame the full thing on Punk, she could have easily told Seth to go or stopped anytime, but she didn't, which is why she found herself in this awful situation.

She just prayed to a god that Punk came back and gave her a chance to speak, they both were annoyed with each other, but they still loved each other, more than they even knew themselves, parting away wasn't going to help the situation, it would just cause more tears and more loneliness, for AJ anyway.

Punk continued to drive on the road, his two hands on the steering wheel as he headed the opposite direction of his mom's house, not intended to go there, his eyes on the road in front of him as he heard the twins in the back seat, both gurgling and making soft noises as they fell back asleep.

"It's alright… dad's here…" Punk said, looking in his rear view mirror at them both sleeping. He looked at the road sign that had the name of the hotel Amy was staying at indicating to the right, while the other turn to the other hotels was left.

He indicated right.

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	51. Chapter 51

Punk had pulled up in the parking lott of the hotel, his two hands still on the steering wheel even though the car had come to a stop, the twins sound asleep in the back.

He didn't know what he was doing, he didn't know what he had done and he just didn't know anything right now. He'd took the twins from AJ and left her feeling empty no doubt, which now come to think about, he shouldn't have.

He sank back onto the seat, running his hands through his face. Their relationship was far from stable at the moment and the twins needed a stable place to grow up, if he wasn't going to be civil to her for her, then he would need to try for the twins. He just still couldn't believe that she would have slept with someone else, never mind with Seth. He was just as mad at Seth for going along with it and doing it, he could have been the bigger man and pushed her away, but he didn't.

Their relationship had gone from nothing but love to nothing but hatred and AJ was right, it was all because he kissed Amy, as much as he wanted to fight against her and tell her she shouldn't have slept with Seth in the first place, she wouldn't have if she wasn't so upset and hurt by him.

"What do I do?" Punk said, turning around and looking at the twins fast asleep, their little feet wriggling around.

He turned back around and sighed. What had their relationship come to? They both cheated, no matter how significantly different they were, they were still with other people, yet every bone in his body still loved her so much. The wise thing would have been to turn back and return the twins back to their home, where they are used to the surroundings, sit down and talk with AJ and if somehow they couldn't come to an agreement or forgive each other, then they would still make things work for the twins.

But he never did the wise thing. There was a willing woman in a hotel room just in front of him and the only thing he could think of that would vanish the AJ and Seth images in his mind, would be to go see her, but having the twins here, parted from their mother, it didn't feel right and he couldn't stand the thought of AJ upset and alone in the house. He knew she was already feeling bad, her baby's being taken from her wouldn't have helped.

So he turned back and headed back to the house, knowing he was doing the right thing here. A hotel was no place for two infant twins.

He pulled up outside the house, standing out and getting the twins in his arms, walking up the path and into the house, walking straight into the living room and putting the twins down on their blankets, their little eyes still closed.

He went to just leave out the door again, figuring that AJ would appear and realise he had returned the twins, but he heard a noise coming from upstairs, almost like a bath running.

"April!" Punk shouted, waiting at the bottom of the stairs, "April!" He shouted again, not getting any response. He shook his head and opened the front door, ready to leave when something turned him back, sending him back in the house and walking upstairs.

He heard the water stop and slow movement occur in the bathroom.

"April." Punk tapped his knuckles against the bathroom door, "April, come out." He said, wondering what on earth she was doing. Hearing no movement suddenly, not even breathing, nothing.

"April, open up, come on!" Punk banged at the door a little louder, "AJ!" He shouted, taking a few steps back and kicking the door down, never seeing a sight so horrible in his life.

He quickly grabbed her from underwater, her clothes soaked through, lifting her up and out of the bath, wrapping a towel around her as he sat with her, trying his best to dry her, watching her shake and look at him.

"What are you doing?" Punk said, so worried for a moment, not knowing how badly this was affecting her.

"I don't want to do this anymore." AJ shook her head, "If this… If this isn't going to work, we might as well just face it and not run away from it, I can live with you not wanting to be with me, but I can't live with knowing you hate me." She said, "And please… please, don't take the twins away from me." She said, a lump in her throat.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Punk looked at her.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "We aren't going to recover from this. It's over, Phil." She said, holding the towel around her as he took his arm away from around her shoulder.

"C'mon… I know we're mad with each other, but do you really think breaking up with me is going to solve anything?" Punk said, he was mad, but he wasn't mad enough to lose her.

"For the kids. We need space from each other, I need time to soak in my guilt… literally…" She looked at the bath, "And you need time to think about what you actually want, because I don't think it's me." AJ said.

"Of course it's you, April." Punk said, "I'm pissed off with you, you slept with someone else, but I still love you." He said.

"I love you too." She raised her hand to his cheek, "But we need space from each other." She said.

"And the twins?" Punk said.

"They can stay with you some nights, I'll drop them off to you." AJ said, "We just need to… let this situation sort itself out." AJ said.

Punk stood up, helping her up too, "This is really it?" Punk said, not believing that she was finishing with him when it was her that was mostly in the wrong, then again, like he said… they had both cheated regardless.

AJ just nodded, needing her space and needing her twins at home with her, for a minute she thought she was going to be alone by herself and that scared her.

Punk just nodded and looked at her deliberately not looking at him. Maybe she was right, maybe this needed to end for them to come back to each other, they needed to do this for their children, to pull through for them and give them the best, he just all of a sudden couldn't imagine life without her.

"I'll see you around then." Punk said.

"See you around." AJ nodded, watching him stand up straight, knowing he had lost a little bit of pride, watching him walk out of the bathroom and downstairs. For them to grow as people, as parents, they needed to do it separately for the time being. They would forever be haunted by what they had both done, especially AJ. She was so ashamed and disgusted with herself, so empty that she wanted to drown away in her guilt and not return, but he was there… to save her like he always done. This was for the best, this way she didn't need to get hurt and neither did he.

Punk sat in his car outside the house, not knowing what had really just happened, the mother of his kids had just broke up with him when it was her that slept with someone else? That didn't make sense to him, but regardless, he knew she was doing it for their kids, for the sake of their own mental health. He knew this was for the best, but he didn't want it to be. Time apart might save their relationship, if not… he didn't know what would.

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	52. Chapter 52

**Hey guys! I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year and best wishes for 2015. Thanks for reading and supporting the stories, greatly appreciated, thank you so much.**

Punk was so lost on where to go. Dean and Renee were in Paris, he couldn't go back to the apartment in the case of him punching Seth, he wasn't going to Amy to make another mistake with her and regret it the next morning. He had nowhere and no one.

He pulled away from his home, away from his messy relationship and away from his darling baby boy and girl, not having a clue where he was meant to go to.

Meanwhile in the house, AJ had cleaned up the bathroom, not really knowing what had got into her to force her to try and hurt herself, or worse… She was just so upset when she seen Punk drive away with the twins, she thought they wouldn't return and she thought she was going to be alone, that was what scared her, not to mention she was still so ashamed and disgusted with herself.

She didn't want to end things with Punk, she never thought she would have to, but time apart was the only thing she could think of that could possibly save their relationship, being around each other right now wasn't bringing any joy to either of them and they needed their space, time to think and hopefully, soon enough… they'd realise how much they needed each other and that they made mistakes that they could look past.

"You'll see daddy soon… I promise." AJ said, now standing in the twins room with Sam in her arms, bouncing her lightly as her daughter cried loudly, it was as if she knew her mother wasn't happy and that her father wasn't near by. She cried louder until AJ couldn't hear herself think. Charlie started to get distressed, wriggling around in his crib as he moaned softly.

"Why won't you stop crying?" AJ sighed, almost crying herself, bouncing Sam lightly in hopes to settle her back to sleep, holding her in tight, reaching down every so often and stroking Charlie's cheek, watching his little eyes close over, Sam's crying still loud and shrieking.

"C'mon… please stop crying." AJ begged, usually having Punk to come in and get them both to sleep. She felt so alone without him already.

She walked out of the twins room with Sam, not wanting Charlie to be disturbed, closing the door over and walking into her room with Sam still crying in her ear, her tiny little hands catching on her hair.

She lay Sam down on Punks side of the bed, watching her look around, her green eyes intrigued as AJ lay on her side facing her, holding her small hand, finally hearing her own thoughts as her daughter began to drift her eyes shut, clearly settled by the different surrounding.

She leaned over and lay a soft kiss on her head, leaning back and closing her eyes herself, having not had much sleep these past days. She didn't know where Punk was going to go, she'd left him with nothing and she felt awful, but he couldn't face him here, looking at her like she was some sort of criminal, imagining her with Seth, she would rather him in a hotel room, thinking to himself about what it was he actually was after in life, because kissing Amy just proved to her that it wasn't her or the twins that he was that serious about wanting, and she wasn't going to be made out a fool, nor was she going to let her children be, but she cursed herself… she knew how much love Punk had for their children. Things were just difficult and she was sure Punk understood that they were. People normally said that situations don't sort themselves out, but this one had to, parting from each other would give them an idea on how much they did need each other and if somehow Punk felt he didn't her, then so be it. They would continue to be friends for their children's sake, but there would be no relationship again.

_With Punk…_

"Phil… what on earth are you doing here?" Punk's mom, Carol, asked.

"Is Chaleen still at college? You don't happen to have room for me?" Punk asked the only woman he knew he could run to at this point.

"Yes, of course… get in here." Carol waved her hand forward. Punk walked in and she shut the door behind, "Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Define 'alright'?" Punk sighed, having not even brought a bag with clothes or anything.

After his mom had made herself a cup of tea and got him to sit down, he began explaining what had happened and how he had nowhere else to go.

"Why would you kiss another woman?" Carol asked, strangely surprised at his actions, it wasn't like him at all.

"I don't know. She's always been able to get into my head, she just… she came on to me and I just kissed back, then I pushed her away and that was it." Punk said, "Few days after I find out that AJ slept with my best friend." He rolled his eyes.

"Oh dear." Carol rolled her eyes, "Certainly falling apart isn't it…" She said, sitting forward on the couch, looking over at him, "Listen here… You both need to remember the main priority at the moment, two one month old babies who need attention from their mom and dad, which may I remind you… is you." Carol said, "Maybe this relationship is over." Carol said, watching the heartbreak look come over Punks face, "But that will only happen if you want it to be over. If she want's it to be over. I know you love her, I don't have to ask you… but maybe you should take into consideration that when she slept with your friend, she probably wasn't doing it to hurt you, she was doing it to stop feeling hurt herself."

"But I…"

"I'm not done." Carol silenced him, "Now no, I am not blaming you, you're both just as bad as each other." She tutted, "But if you just stay here with me whining that will only prove one thing to her, you don't care enough to demand that you both work things out. Don't you see that is what she wants? She wants you down on your knees begging…"

"Yeah well I done that." Punk mumbled.

"Phillip!" Carol raised her voice, "You're a father dammit." She said sternly.

"Yeah, I know." Punk nodded, feeling like he was 15.

"Then why are you here? I know you and I know her well enough to know you will both work this out… you can't work out anything from that couch." She pointed.

Punk just looked at her, she was so determined for him to fix things and it was nice to feel like someone cared, "But she wants space. She said it herself, if we love each other we'll find our way back to each other." Punk shrugged.

"Do you believe her?" Carol said, "I bet you any money she is lying in bed, crying her eyes out, feeling alone and confused, the twins equally as distressed, they might be tiny, but they can still sense things." She said.

"What if we can't recover from this though? We both cheated, how can we learn to get back to the way we used to be?" Punk sighed, running his hands through his hair as he sighed.

"Trust me. It's hard to find a love like yours. You'll be back to the same way it always was with her in no time. You just have to fight." Carol smiled.

"How?" Punk asked her, so confused.

Carol stood up and grabbed his car keys from the coffee table, throwing them at him as he caught them into his chest, "By driving over and telling her how much you love her. I can guarantee you won't need to come back here for a place to stay." Carol said as Punk just stood up, placing his car keys in his pocket.

"Thank you." Punk nodded, pulling her in for a sweet hug, she may not have been his biological mother, but that didn't matter, she was his mother.

"Now go sort things out." Carol smiled, watching her son nod and head out of the door. She'd never had a son until her eldest daughter showed up with a 15 year old, blonde haired, ripped jeaned boy with no family to love him. He was her son, the son she never had and no one could replace him.

Punk knew his mother was right, this had to be sorted, they'd both made mistakes, both out of them hurting and not thinking, they needed to be open and sort this out because there was just no living without April, not now… not ever. He wasn't waiting for them to find each other. He could forgive her, it wouldn't be easy, but he could, he loved her… he wouldn't love anyone else like her. They were both stronger when they were together and that's what made them the couple they are. He wasn't letting her go, he wasn't waiting for anything, their love was the kind you fight for, not sit back on the couch and wait for it to slap you in the face ten years down the line when you are old, alone, wifeless with weekend visits from your kids. He loved AJ and he knew she loved him too, so why were they parting and waiting for something spectacular to happen? He wasn't leaving their house until everything was sorted and they could pick up from where they left off before things started to spiral, maybe that wedding could be put back into the horizon for them to think about.

**Punk is on a mission it seems like. How will things go down? All in the next chapter soon.**

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	53. Chapter 53

Punk got out of the car, slamming the door shut and walking up to the door, ringing the doorbell and moving around on the one spot, his hands in his jean pockets as he seen lights go in the doorway, seeing a figure walk downstairs, watching as she opened the door, looking up at him.

He could tell she had indeed been crying and he could tell she hadn't slept in at least three days, not to mention the sound of two piercings screams was heard from all the way out here.

"Are they ok?" Punk asked immediately.

"They won't stop crying." AJ shrugged, having done everything to try soothe the twins back to sleep, the silence only lasted a few minutes when Sam was laid upon their bed, they both awoke and had been screaming the house down for at least half an hour, she tried feeding them, changing them, singing to them as ridiculous as she felt herself being, she knew what they wanted and he just so happened to have showed up.

"Mind if I come in?" He asked, watching her open the door wider, stepping into his house as she shut the door behind him.

AJ watched as he headed straight upstairs, following the cries to see if he could try getting them to settle back down. Just as AJ slowly reached the top of the stairs, the crying immediately came to a halt and she could hear herself think again.

"How do you do that?" AJ asked him, standing at the doorway of the twin's room. Punk didn't even need to hold them, as soon as they seen him their crying paused. It just went to show how big a part Punk played in the twin's lives already.

"I don't know." Punk said. He honestly didn't. He tucked Sam's blanket up and over her tiny self, doing the same with Charlie, their eyes both closing as they fell into their night time sleep.

Punk walked out of the room, switching the light off on the way out, coming face to face with AJ, "I came here to talk to you… I'm not leaving this house until me and you are good. I can't stand the thought of you hating me and I know you can't stand the thought of thinking that I hate you. We can't leave this situation to get worse." Punk said, watching her nod.

"You're right." AJ nodded, "I really miss you." She whispered, looking up at him as he looked down at her. It may only have been a few days since they slept in the same bed, but she missed him so much.

"Let's go downstairs." Punk said, leading her in front of him by his hand, watching her walk on downstairs and through into the kitchen, following closely behind her.

After making two coffee's, they both sat down at the kitchen table, facing each other and looking at one another to speak.

"I can't continue with my life if you aren't in it." Punk started, "When I drove away from the house earlier, I didn't know where to go, I didn't know who to go to… it made me realise how little people I actually have in my life." Punk said, watching her as she looked at him, paying attention to every word he was saying.

"We've both been a mess this past week, we've just not been thinking and bad things have come out of that but… you're April, no matter what you've done that has upset me, you're still April, you're still that kind, sweet, gentle girl that I fell in love with. I know… I know that if I never kissed Amy, you wouldn't have slept with Seth, I know that… you were hurting and you turned to a friend, I can understand it, I don't like it, I want to tear Seth to pieces, but I understand why you done it, I don't think you do though…" Punk said.

"I thought you loved her." AJ said quietly, "Otherwise you wouldn't have kissed her back." She shrugged.

"I kissed her back, yeah…" Punk agreed with what she said, "I don't know, it just sort of… happened. She threw herself on me, I kissed back and then I remembered that I have a beautiful, amazing, gorgeous girl waiting for me at home." He said, watching her smile down at the ground, "I'm no prince charming, I get that… but you're my princess and no matter what, I'm the one that's going to love you and protect you, keep you safe at night, look after you… I don't want to live if I'm not living with you." He said.

AJ listened to every beautiful word he said, pouring her heart out to her as she gladly listened to everything he was saying. She knew he loved her, he didn't have to tell her, he could tell.

"The guy on the corner of the street… always asks for money, he's addicted to crack… that man in the local bar we go to down the road, the one with the hat, he's addicted to booze… next door neighbour who leaves in a suit and tie every morning at 6am and doesn't come home until 10pm at night, he's addicted to his work… my addiction, take a guess?" He looked at her.

AJ just smiled as she looked across at him, kidding herself on about wanting time apart, she couldn't spend a full day without seeing him.

"I can't go on living without you, I can't just be friends, I want you the way I can only have you. I want you to touch, to kiss, to love…" He said, "Don't push me away." He begged.

"I'm not pushing you away." AJ shook her head, a tear rolling down her cheek, "I love you. I love you so much. Things just got a little too much, I didn't know if I wanted you to stay or to go. I lay down in bed when you left and cried… I wondered why our relationship had come to this and I realised I had made a mistake." She said, "Where would I be if you weren't here? If we never met… I wouldn't have all these memories we've created, I wouldn't have the boys, I wouldn't have Sam or Charlie, I wouldn't have this house, I wouldn't have someone who loves me the way you do… I would still be alone, working myself into loneliness hadn't I met you. We all fuck up from time to time, we both have… but there's not a mistake in the world that you can make that will stop me loving you." AJ said, "And that's a fact." She smiled.

"We can do this." Punk nodded, "Nothing gets in the way of me and you, right?" He smiled over to her.

"Right." AJ smiled.

"I'm sorry." Punk said one final time.

"I'm sorry too." AJ swallowed the lump in her throat, standing up as he did, falling into his arms as he hugged her tightly. It didn't take them long to find each other again. A love like theirs never leaves in the first place.

_Throughout the next few days…_

It took a few days for AJ and Punk to bounce back into their life together as normal again, and from a lot of encouraging and reassuring from AJ, Punk was currently headed to Seth's who had been on a hiatus from the moment he slept with AJ.

Punk didn't know what he was meant to say to Seth without telling him that what he done was ok, because it was, far from it, but somewhere deep inside Punk, he gained some control and vowed to himself and to AJ that he would talk to Seth calmly. He was still one of his best friends and had not long pulled him from a fire.

He headed straight into the apartment with the spare key he had, looking at Seth lying up on the couch, watching him sit up straight and stand up immediately.

Seth had been distancing himself from everything and everyone these past few days, he also sent a shallow text to Paige telling her that things were done, not being able to face her and tell her why he was so guilty and ashamed to still deserve going out with her.

"You alright?" Punk nodded to him, walking slowly into the apartment as Seth just nodded, expecting have seen Punk come in all guns blazing.

"You?" Seth said.

"Yeah… well, my girlfriends put her engagement ring back on." Punk said, fiddling around with his car keys, putting them in his pocket and looking at Seth, "You have no idea how annoyed I was with you." He said.

"I'm so sorry man, I don't know what happened. She kissed me and… I just went along with it, I don't know what had got into me. Just know that after it she told me to get out and that it was all a mistake…" Seth said, not wanting Punk to blame AJ for this full thing.

"I know. I'm not going to get mad and yell at you. Let's just say we've all not been thinking right these past few days." Punk said, "She was upset, it would have been hard to say no to her when she was like that. Me and AJ are going to forget that this week ever happened, you're welcomed to join in on that." Punk said with a smile, not willing to lose a friend like Seth over something he could look past.

"Dude if you're not cool with me, it's alright… I understand." Seth put his hands up.

"I'm not cool with what you done, we can erase that from all our brains and move on." Punk said, "You pulled me out of a goddamn fire, Seth. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here. I owe my life to you." Punk laughed, "Now come here." Punk said as Seth just smiled in so much relief that Punk was so calm about this, Seth just put that down to having AJ by his side again.

Nevertheless, Seth went over and gave Punk a brotherly hug, glad to still have him as a friend.

"Pull a stunt like that again though, I'll cut your balls off in your sleep, ok?" Punk pulled back from the hug, smiling to Seth as he just laughed, "Also, me and AJ decided that we didn't tell Dean or Renee about this week, as far as we're concerned, it's behind us." Punk said, looking at him nod.

"Yeah, good thinking." Seth nodded.

"Have you spoke to Paige?" Punk asked curiously.

"Yeah… well I text her, I just made up some bullshit story about how I wasn't ready to date again." Seth said.

"You broke up with her?" Punk asked, shocked.

"She deserved better anyway." Seth nodded.

"I thought you really liked her?" Punk said, not sure why Seth would let go of a girl he seemed to have really liked.

"I did. I still do, but I don't know… maybe I'm better off alone." Seth shrugged.

"C'mon man… don't be like that. You shouldn't let her go like that. Anyways, I better get going, we have a home doctor coming to check on the twins and how they're getting on, but I'll catch you later." Punk said, having forgotten about Seth's encounter with his fiancé already.

"Ok… Thanks man, for being so cool. I am sorry, I didn't do it to hurt you." Seth said in genuine seriousness.

"I know you didn't." Punk nodded, headed to the door, "I'll see you later." He said, leaving out the door feeling positive and happy again, feeling like this week had already been forgotten about, looking forward to continuing from where he left off.

_A few days later…_

"Paris was awesome." Dean announced to everyone as they all sat in the living room in Punk and AJ's house.

Things were a little awkward between Seth and AJ at first but once AJ spoke to him privately in the kitchen, telling him that she didn't want it to affect their friendship and that they needed to forget about it, it began to feel normal again and he wasn't staring at her strangely.

"Do you know they had like 50 types of fucking bread to choose from, I mean… Subway still amazes me when you have four choices, but man… it was fucking amazing and we went to a different bar every night, there were so many… oh tell them about the boat trip…" Dean tapped Renee on the shoulder, both of them looking extremely happy and tanned for that matter.

"Well… what happened was…" Renee started.

"Basically…" Dean interrupted and proceeded to tell the story and many other ones about their vacation which he seemed to enjoy more than Renee did.

It was nice for them to be all back together again. Punk just wanted tomorrow to come, the start of a new week were they could put this one behind them, so he could carry on loving AJ and their growing family, putting them first as well as having the craziest bunch of friends supporting him along the way.

His and AJ's love was like no other, it was the kind you fight for, the kind that wasn't worth giving up for, the rare kind that always survived throughout the toughest of times, their love was the strongest love and without the love they had for each other, they wouldn't be sat so tight and snug like they were right now, listening to Dean ramble on about his vacation. Their love was worth fighting for.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**


	54. Chapter 54

_6 Months Later…_

It was six months later and things had moved on tremendously since Punk and AJ's bust up. If anything their love was even stronger from their knowledge of their relationship being able to conquer anything that came in front of them. The twins had grown very much over the months and were now able to crack smiles for their parents and uncles, also recently letting out contagious giggles every now and then. AJ couldn't believe how much they had grown.

She was so glad that her and Punk managed to get through their little hiccup, otherwise she didn't know what she would have done without Punk not just for her, but for the twins, he was such a help and she was convinced the twins acted like angels for him and then turned to little demons when she took charge of them, either way the twins were definitely getting all the love they needed from both parents and that was the most important thing.

"Let's try out this new bubble bath that mommy got today, huh?" Punk said, kneeling down over the bath, his sleeves rolled up as Sam and Charlie sat up in the shallow watered bath, being able to do it all by themselves now, occasionally kicking one of the other over which always amused Punk but upset and frightened AJ, typical mother.

Punk poured some of the liquid into the bath, swishing the water around for it to create the bubbles, watching the twins look fascinated at the white foam.

"Do you need help in there?" AJ asked from outside the bathroom door.

"Um… Yeah, I suppose." Punk said, figuring that AJ could wash Charlie while he done Sam, getting it done faster.

AJ slid through the small space between the door and closed it back over, looking at Sam and Charlie in the bath, both looking at and touching the bubbles, "Maybe that was a bad idea." She laughed, both twins refusing to get washed, too fascinated with the bubbles.

AJ and Punk were both back at work which was good and bad. It was good because they got their normal pay cheques coming through the bank again, it was bad because, well… it was work, and they missed their children who would either be watched by Dean or Seth since very rarely that Punk, Dean and Seth were all working the same days, it worked out good that way.

"What shift are you working tomorrow?" Punk asked AJ as he busied himself with Sam, rubbing the tiny amount of shampoo into her soft hair.

"9 until 5." AJ sighed, not looking forward to her shift tomorrow, "You're off tomorrow right?" She assured herself, rubbing the cloth on Charlie's back gently, over his shoulders and down his arms.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, covering Sam's eyes as he washed the shampoo out her hair, the wet strands sticking up in the air, giving Punk and AJ a chuckle to themselves, "You look like a unicorn." Punk laughed as Sam looked up at him, holding her toes in the water as he supported her back in case she did fall back, which happened sometimes.

"What do you plan on doing for the day then?" AJ asked him, wondering what he would get up to on his day off.

"Oh nothing." Punk smiled deviously as AJ looked up at him strangely.

"What are you up to?" AJ asked him, batting her eyes at him as he playfully stuck his tongue out at her, lifting Sam out of the bath and wrapping her in a towel, surrounding it around her head and all around her body, making her look very much like ET. He walked out of the bathroom with her and into his room where he lay her down on the bed with the towel underneath her of course, drying her as she deliberately kicked her feet at him and smiled. She was so beautiful, her gorgeous little smile, her cute little nature, she was adorable.

AJ came in not long after with Charlie who was very much the chancer out of them both, always whining or stepping on AJ's toes, annoying his sister, yet when he cuddled into you it was the greatest feeling ever. He was very much like Punk, bad tempered, mischievous but sensitive to those he loved.

After the twins were both dried and put into their pyjamas and into their cots, having moved from their small cribs and into two separate cots in their room now, AJ and Punk finally got to sit down themselves in the living room and enjoy some horrible TV with each other.

"So are you going to tell me what you're doing tomorrow?" AJ asked Punk, sitting in between his legs as he flicked through the channels on TV.

"Nope." Punk said, "Just you have a nice day at work." Punk kissed her head as she rolled her eyes without him seeing, she hated secrets, she wouldn't be able to concentrate on work tomorrow.

_The next day…_

"So where are we actually going?" Dean asked, sitting in the passenger's seat of Punks car, driving to a destination where only Punk knew, the twins in the back seat in their car seats. Charlie was chewing on his teddy bear while Sam looked out the window at the passing colours, mostly the sky and clouds.

"Be patient." Punk said, trying to remember where to get to the place he was wanting to go to.

"I swear if this is some wedding venue I will punch you and yes, in front of your kids." Dean said as Punk laughed.

"We already have the wedding venue set, but thanks for your interest… Just sit tight, we'll be there any minute." Punk said, turning into a street full of newly built houses, rather pricey houses.

Dean just looked as they drove through the estate, not really knowing where this was going, but interested.

Punk pulled up to the house he had been looking at the past few days coming home from work, much bigger than the hut they were living in just now, a front garden that actually looked nice, a driveway to park his car instead of on the curb outside like he normally does.

"Alright Richard Branson, how can you possibly afford to buy this place?" Dean said, him and Punk getting out the car, taking a twin each and taking a good look at the house that was up for sale.

"Yeah, it's expensive." Punk shrugged, "But I can manage. Come look inside…" Punk said, Charlie content in his arms as Dean followed behind with Sam, walking into the house that was on for show anyway, looking at all the rooms and different spaces.

The living room was twice the size of the one they have right now, same with the kitchen, not to mention the back garden was huge, he already had visions of the kids playing out in it when they got older. There were four rooms, the largest one of course would be his and AJ's, the twins wouldn't need to share rooms and there would still be a spare room left over, not to mention the shower room in what would be Punk and AJ's room and the normal bathroom in the upstairs hall. This place was it and Punk could honestly see himself living in it.

"This place is amazing." Dean said, never expecting to have one of his friends buy a house like this.

"Right." Punk agreed, "I'm thinking about putting an offer in, see if we can get it before the wedding." Punk said, which only gave them four months, which was when the wedding was.

"Can you afford it? Especially with the wedding?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. And with money to spare." Punk said, he wasn't a spender, he saved his money for things like this, things like his wedding, or upgrading on a new car, he was wise when it came to things like this and he felt that it was right to put an offer in on this house, he was sure AJ would love it.

"Well if you've got the money. Why fucking not." Dean smiled, frowning as he remembered he cursed in front of the kids.

_A week later…_

AJ was getting worried at Punks actions as of late. He was always on the phone, busy on his off days, not coming home from work at the usual time. She was getting a little frightened of what he was up to but she knew it wouldn't be anything to worry about, he'd learned from his mistakes.

Everything made sense however one night when he picked her up from work, the twins sleeping in the back seat as it was late on, she always hated the late shift.

She began to notice they'd gone off the route they went home in and seemed to have found herself in a very civilised housing estate not that far from Dean and Seth's apartment.

"Phil, what are you doing?" AJ asked, tired and sore from being on her feat all day.

"Shh." Punk said, driving along the street and pulling up at the house he had just settled on buying the night before, "C'mon, out the car." He said, both of them getting out, AJ looking on at the house in front of her.

Punk came up and hugged her from behind as they both stood outside, looking out the house.

"How would you like to live there?" Punk smiled, feeling her immediately turn round in complete shock and disbelief.

"You haven't…" AJ looked at him, raising her hand to her mouth as she turned back to the house that she could only say was a mansion compared to the shack they were living in at the moment.

"I have." Punk threw the keys up in the air and caught them, smiling her way as she turned back round, her hands still covering her mouth as she couldn't believe what was going on.

"It's beautiful… Oh my. I don't know what to say." AJ stuttered a bit, completely shaking with excitement and happiness, not knowing how Punk had managed to buy this, not caring really.

"Don't say anything." Punk smiled, wrapping his hands around her waist, kissing her sweetly on the lips as they stood together outside their new home.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**

**Unfortunately we are approaching the last few chapters of this story which for me is very sad since I've enjoyed writing this so much and hope you've enjoyed reaching just as much, however… the good news is, there will be a sequel to follow this, so I guess you can all look forward to that, but anyways… enjoy these last few chapters. You are all amazing!**


	55. Chapter 55

After the overwhelmed shock of moving house and AJ got to take a look around everyone gathered to help AJ and Punk box up their stuff to be put in the moving van, as well as taking turns to make sure the twins were being attended to.

It only took about three weeks to transfer everything and get their new house looking warm and gorgeous. AJ still couldn't believe how much space there was, and the garden was a perfect size to put a swing set in for the kids when they got older. There was so much room upstairs and they actually had a driveway to put their car, instead of parking it out on the street. She loved this house already and to celebrate their new move and love for it, they had a small house warming party, aka they invited their usual friends over to entertain themselves for the night.

"No one will ever know." Dean shrugged, "Because no one can experience labour and getting kicked in the balls, so it's forever a mystery." Dean said, sitting on the couch with a bottle of beer, coming up with the most randomest of conversations.

"Nah, I was with AJ when she gave birth… I'd say it looked a little more painful that getting kicked in the balls." Seth said, sitting on the other couch with Punk who just laughed, bouncing Charlie in his arms as Renee took care of Sam beside Dean, AJ was out in the kitchen.

"But no one will ever know." Dean pointed to Seth, shaking his head.

"Dean…" Renee sighed, "Imagine trying to push a watermelon through a key hole. It's going to hurt." Renee looked at him like he was an idiot, turning back to Sam and making funny faces at her.

"Yeah Dean…" Punk chipped in, "I think the girls win this one." He said watching Dean just sigh and start speaking to Sam, making funny faces at her, trying to get her to giggle, "Take him a minute." Punk passed Charlie to Seth as he walked through the living room and into the kitchen, seeing AJ standing looking out of the window.

"You ok?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." AJ smiled sweetly to him, "I just can't believe we're living here." She said, wrapping her arms around him as she laid her head against his chest, his arms circling round her immediately.

"I thought it would be a perfect place to raise the kids instead of on the street in the busiest street in Chicago with night clubs and bars around us. This way the kids can go out and play, there's a huge garden for them, they don't need to share rooms. It's just much better." Punk said..

"I love you." AJ looked up at him with a smile. He always put her and the twins first and that made her feel special and loved and there was no better feeling.

"I love you too." Punk said, kissing her deeply, tangling his hands in her hair, hadn't they had guests they would have continued this further, but they pulled away, smiling and headed back into the living room with their friends who were striking up another ridiculous conversation.

_Later that night…_

AJ and Renee wound up on twin duty, upstairs trying to get the twins to settle down in their separate rooms. If the twins were born of the same sex, girl and girl or boy and boy, AJ would have probably kept them in the same room until they got older, but she wanted them to each have themed rooms, it was hard to balance one in between that would suit for a boy or a girl. This way she could decorate Charlie's room with superheroes and Sam's room with princesses and pony's. She was looking forward to decorating.

Meanwhile downstairs the boys had struck up conversation and both Dean and Punk were questioning Seth on why he didn't go find Paige and ask for a second chance, Punk knew the real reason, he knew Seth was still guilty but he did like Paige, it was the typical type of girl Seth would have went for and they were like a perfect match.

"I don't know. She was sweet and funny and kind… she just deserved better than me, that's all." Seth said.

"Well AJ has invited her to the wedding, so maybe you can work things out with her there." Punk suggested.

"Maybe." Seth nodded, "I just feel like she deserves better than me." Seth shrugged.

"Shut the fuck up." Dean said, "Renee probably deserves better but I'm still holding on to her because I love her." He admitted, "Just promise us you'll try and speak to her, we know you like her." Dean said.

"Fine, Ok… I'll speak to her at the wedding, but on my own terms and in my own way." Seth said.

"Good." Punk smiled, nodding to Dean.

_A few weeks later…_

Fitting into their new home wasn't as easy as AJ thought, she kept forgetting where she had put things due to how big the house and space was, the twins didn't seem to be settling very well either and were crying throughout the night sometimes, but that didn't stop AJ from adoring the house, she was sure things would settle down just in time for the wedding which was only two months away now.

She was currently at home with the twins while Dean, Punk and Seth were out getting suits, leaving everything to the very latest as possible like Punk always done. She already had her dress as did Renee who was maid of honour. Also, everything was dealt with like the venue, the florist, the photographer… it was going to be a small wedding, just around fifty people, but it was going to be the greatest day of her life. The twins outfits were also bought too.

"You two play and let mommy sit down." AJ smiled down at the twins who were both sitting on the floor in the living room, playing with their blocks, occasionally babbling out random letters every now and then.

Their house really looked good now, the first few weeks, it still looked rather empty and felt cold, but now it felt like home and that was a good thing. Her and Punks room was massive, almost triple the size of their own one, it was great, and the twins had equal amount of space in their rooms, not to mention a spare room too in the case of a guest.

All that was left was to get married and she would have it all, the house, the husband, the kids, the friends, a good job, things had really come on leaps and bounds since a few months ago where she didn't even know if she was going to be with Punk for any longer, she was glad things worked out the way they did and looked forward to becoming Mrs Brooks.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**

**2 more chapters to go!**


	56. Chapter 56

_2 months later…_

The big day had finally arrived and AJ was feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement, not believing that she was actually getting married today. The twins were in good hands with the boys while Renee helped her get ready, she wanted to make sure she had no flaws and she looked perfect for her day.

With Renee's help she was near enough ready earlier than what she expected and had time to look at herself up and down the mirror, brushing her hands down her satin dress and smiling in the mirror, "How do I like?" She held her hands up and turned to Renee.

"You look amazing." Renee smiled, "Punk will love the dress." Renee smiled, "We ready to go?" Renee smiled, in their hotel room, getting ready to head downstairs for the wedding.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, taking one final look at herself in the mirror and leaving with Renee, the dress swishing as she walked, complimenting all her curves, the back detail of the dress was her favourite part however, some of her skin was on show from the diamond cut holes in the back and she just loved the feeling of the dress.

Heading downstairs to where the wedding was taking place, she waited outside the door for Renee to go take her seat with Dean and while he was passing, AJ grabbed Seth over to the side before he headed in with the rest of the guests.

"You look… You look amazing, AJ." Seth said, Punk was truly a lucky guy, "Everything ok?" He asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I eh… I don't have anyone to walk me down the aisle, I don't have my dad or an uncle or any relatives, but I have the most amazing friends in the world… would you walk me down?" AJ asked him, really hoping he would say yes.

Seth just smiled sweetly at AJ, "I'd be honoured." Seth smiled, really being touched that AJ had asked him to walk her down, after everything that happened, he was glad to be giving her away to his best friend who he knew would love her the way she deserved to be.

AJ just smiled and looked down for a minute, shaking away the cob webs and nerves, ready to go marry the man she loved.

"You ready?" Seth asked her, dressed up in his black suit like Punk and Dean were and the majority of the male guests.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, taking a hold of Seth's arm and watching him smile down to her.

The walk to meet Punk was agonisingly slow, but his face as soon as their eyes met was priceless, the way he looked at her when she came into his eyesight was enough to make her day.

Punk couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. The dress suited her so well, it complimented every curve she had and loved, her smile, just her… she looked stunning and he could not take his eyes away from her. He was also glad to see it was Seth who walked her down the aisle.

"Hi…" AJ whispered to him, having not seen him from the night before where the split up to go into their separate rooms. She took a minute to also give the twins a wave who was sitting with Dean and Renee. Sam seemed to be playing with the necklace that Renee was wearing while Charlie had his full fist in his mouth, staring at his mother and father.

"Hi…" Punk whispered back, "You look beautiful." He said, making sure to say it before the ceremony officially started and they said they're vows.

AJ just blushed and tucked her hair behind her ear, looking across at him and wondering how she'd managed to land on such a perfect man, not just a perfect man… but a perfect life.

The I do's came and gone as did the rings and soon enough it was time for the vows, AJ stuck to the traditional vows that are advised to say, she couldn't possibly make her own one up without bursting into tears, but she seen that Punk was willing to give it a go.

"I spent all night thinking what I was going to say here and I figured I would just say what came to my mind right now but I can't think." He laughed, "You look stunning…" He smiled, "I can't promise you I'll be the best husband in the world, there's a good chance I won't but I can promise you one thing, I'm going to love you until I take my last breath, I'm going to take you as you are, for better or worse, rich or poor in sickness and in health, I'm never going to leave your side. I promise to pronounce you right even when you might be wrong, to always agree with what you want to do, to help you when you're stuck or confused, take care of when you're sick, laugh with you, smile with you, cry with you…" Punk smiled as AJ quickly brushed the tear that rolled down her cheek, not wanting anyone to see it.

Dean sat with Charlie on his lap, smiling at this moment, imagining him and Renee up there one day, catching her smile as she looked on at her best friends getting married, Seth too who was smiling like a jerk to himself, hating himself for going all mushy but not being able to help it.

"I promise to keep you safe, to raise Charlie and Sam the best way we can, to watch them grow as we do." He smiled, "I could go on but I guess what I'm trying to say is… I've been waiting for a girl like you all my life and now that I've found you, I don't want to let you go, I love you and I always will." He smiled, shutting up and taking a nerve racking deep breath as he finished what he wanted to say, trying to think if there was anything he forgot to say.

"Well. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife… you may kiss the bride."

Punk didn't wait around and immediately locked his lips with his new wife, enjoying every moment of it as he wrapped his arms around her, the silk dress so smooth on her and perfect. These were the moments he would treasure until he died. These moments of impact.

_Later on…_

The day surely turned into night and the reception was now in full swing with couples up dancing, some sitting at tables and enjoying the night, the music varying through different genres and most of all everyone was here to celebrate Punk and AJ's big day.

Punk wouldn't lie, dancing with his daughter in his arms had to be the highlight of his night, next to laying eyes on AJ every few seconds of course.

Meanwhile in the girls toilets AJ, Renee and Paige were gathered. AJ genuinely did need the toilet and Renee decided to tag along to fix her make-up and Paige was in the middle of handing AJ a wedding gift from her.

Paige was drying her hands with the paper towels in the really beautiful toilets, really wanting to find Seth and talk to him, the ceremony really giving her a confidence boost to go find him and start over again, realising how much she had actually missed him these past few months, hoping he felt the same.

She went to put the paper towels in the trash when she seen some sort of stick hanging out of the can. She picked it up and gasped in shock, getting AJ and Renee's attention.

"It's a pregnancy test." Paige said, "It's positive." She said as she looked at them both, walking over and standing in the middle of them, letting them see.

"Well whose…" AJ paused as she looked at Renee behind Paige, shaking her head and clasping her hands in a begging type of way, not letting Paige see her however.

"It's mine." AJ said, "I took the test when I came in and threw it in the trash, I didn't think anyone would see." AJ said as she watched Renee sigh in relief.

"Well… congratulations." Paige smiled, throwing the pregnancy test back in the trash and giving AJ a hug while AJ looked on at Renee who was standing behind looking rather scared and pale.

**10 REVIEWS = New Chapter.**

**The next chapter will be the last unfortunately, hope you all are enjoying!**


	57. Chapter 57

As soon as the girls got out of the bathroom and Paige went off in search of Seth, AJ pulled Renee over to the corner and looked at her with anger, "You're pregnant?!" AJ said.

"Shh." Renee waved her hands around, "No one knows." She said, "I wasn't going to tell anyone until after the wedding but she found the test." Renee said.

"So you just looked at me to save you telling her?" AJ said, "If Punk finds out, I swear." AJ gritted her teeth, not wanting to sound like she wasn't happy with Renee, she just didn't want everything to go down on her wedding night of all nights.

"He won't. Just as long as Paige doesn't tell anyone, it will be fine." Renee said, "Now go and enjoy yourself, this is your night." Renee shoed AJ away as AJ nodded, walking away and then turning back to give Renee a hug.

"Congratulations." AJ whispered, smiling as she pulled back from the hug, going away to find Punk.

Meanwhile Paige had found Seth sitting at a table on his own, "Mind if I join you… seems pretty crowded over here." Paige joked as she looked around at all the empty seats.

"Funny." Seth laughed, "Yeah…" He pulled a chair out beside him as she took a seat. She looked gorgeous, she had a black dress on which only she could get away with wearing a black dress at a wedding, her pale skin was still as pale as he remembered, her innocent eyes and sweet smile, he'd really missed her.

"How are you?" Paige asked him.

"I'm alright. You?" Seth asked, fiddling around with his bottle of beer that he was barely interested in.

"I'm ok. I finally stood up to my dad…" She smiled, watching him look up at her with a smile, "I told him I wanted to be what I wanted to be and I left. Got my own house with my own studio where I can work. Thanks to you I'm doing what I want to do and I can't thank you enough." She smiled.

"Good." Seth smiled, truly happy that she had become her own person and was stable and happy.

"I'm not going to lie, I've really missed you. Everything came to an end rather quickly and I sensed that something had happened or that you realised you weren't ready for dating and I can understand that." Paige nodded.

"I slept with AJ." Seth said, "I slept with her and I felt so disgusted with myself, it still haunts me, the easiest thing for me to do was to just let you go, you deserved much better." Seth said.

Paige just swallowed loudly and sat back in her seat, "You've lost someone before." She said, "I can't imagine how hard it is to start dating again but truth is I really like you Seth and I really want to give this… me and you… I want to give it another shot." Paige said.

"Even after I slept with AJ?" Seth said surprised to say the least.

"Things were getting crazy back then, AJ was hurt, you were trying to be her friend, I understand… Our relationship wasn't particularly serious then anyway, but… I want us to have a serious relationship, all I could think about these past months we haven't been together was how much I missed you." Paige admitted.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you." Seth said.

"Can we give this another go?" Paige asked, never having felt this way about anyway like she felt towards Seth, not being able to go another minute without him, ever since that moment she laid eyes on him in the hospital, his burnt body closing in all his secrets and love that he was afraid to use again.

"Yeah. We can." Seth nodded with a smile.

Paige just smiled and leaned over, kissing him on the cheek as he smiled to himself, "But first you need to dance with me." Paige smiled.

"I can't dance." Seth laughed as Paige pulled him up to the dance floor.

On the other side of the room, AJ and Punk had just said their goodbyes to the twins who were going home with Punks mom for the night to give AJ and Punk their first night of marriage some privacy.

"Before you find out from someone else… I'm not pregnant." AJ said to Punk as they walked back into the reception.

"What?" Punk laughed.

"There was some miscommunication in the toilets with me, Paige and Renee and Paige thinks I'm pregnant but really it's Renee that is pregnant." AJ said.

"Renee is pregnant?" Punk looked at AJ with shock.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "But keep it on the down low, Dean doesn't know yet." AJ said.

"Dean is going to have a heart attack when he finds out." Punk laughed as he took AJ's hand and began dancing with her on the dancefloor.

"No, he'll be fine. They'll make great parents." AJ said, both of them looking over to Renee and Dean in the corner who looked in deep serious conversation, from their point of view it looked like Renee was telling Dean he was going to be a father.

Just beside them Paige and Seth seemed to be dancing rather closely, whispering things in each other's ears.

"I think today went rather well." Punk smiled as he took his eyes from a happy Seth.

"It was the best day ever." AJ smiled.

Punk had to agree with her, not only did he finally get to make AJ his wife but there was also knew lives being created and knew relationships being made, everyone seemed to be happy and it was a night all three boys would remember for the rest of their life. Things could only get better from here.

_9 months later…_

"Hey…" Punk announced as he walked into the hospital room first with Sam swinging from his side, Charlie with AJ who walked behind, Paige and Seth tagging along with 'It's a girl' balloons.

"What's up guys…" Dean smiled, taken his eyes from his newly born daughter who was in Renee's arms to greet his excited friends.

"She's beautiful." AJ awe'd as she looked on at the tiny baby girl, Charlie in her arms after having a massive tantrum in the car, cheering up a bit when he seen everyone.

The twins were now a massive one and were both adorably evil, always making everyone around them smile and laugh. They'd just began speaking and saying words here and there, mostly just mommy and daddy or the names of their uncles and aunties.

Seth and Paige were in a steady relationship and had just moved in together, not that far away from Punk and AJ's house, leaving Dean and Renee to live in the apartment now that it was just them and of course, their new daughter.

"She's like a little peach." Paige said, stroking the baby girls cheek that was so soft and velvet like, completely mushed out by the sight as they all gathered round, the twins beginning to babble nonsense in their parents ears.

"What's her name?" Punk asked, kissing Sam on her soft head, thankful to have his baby girl by his side, even though she was unknown for the 9 months she spent in AJ's tummy.

"Her name is Faye." Renee smiled, so proud to have finally become a mom, especially proud to have shared the experience with Dean.

"That's a gorgeous name." Seth admitted, the little girl already suited it.

"I want one." Paige said as she hugged Seth, feeling him go stiff but smile and relax after realising he wasn't even that scared of the thought of having a baby, he loved Paige and was happy with the life he had with her.

"Someone take a picture." Punk said, taking his phone out just in time for a midwife to come in, "You… take a picture of us. Please." Punk passed the phone to the midwife as they all budged together.

"All of you?" The midwife asked, stepping back to try and fit them all in.

"Yeah." AJ said.

Renee sat up in bed with Faye in her arms, Dean sitting on the bed beside her with his arm around her, one side of the bed was Punk with Sam in his arms, AJ leaning in front of him with Charlie, on the other side of the bed was Seth and Paige who were both leaning down beside Dean and Renee too, all huddled close together as they smiled for a picture.

"We're not friends." Punk said.

"We're family…" Seth added as they done before every picture, the midwife taking the picture as the flash went off, the picture of course becoming Punks wallpaper on his phone. Joy on everyone's faces.

It had been a long journey for Seth, Dean and Punk but they finally got what they most desired in life, people to love and people to love them. They'd got over haunted pasts, they'd got over hiccups in relationships and they'd got over lost loved ones and finally took life by the stem and enjoyed every second of it. They weren't just friends, they were family.

**The end.**

**Thank you guys so much for reading, supporting and REVIEWING the story, this has been such a blast to write and I hope you enjoyed reading. I look forward to seeing what you all thought about the story and I hope you all look forward to the sequel which will be coming very soon. Thank you so much!**


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